


Mass Effect: The Few

by ladyamesindy



Series: Commander Gillian Shepard [1]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-03-20
Updated: 2013-10-10
Packaged: 2017-12-05 21:24:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 21,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/728077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyamesindy/pseuds/ladyamesindy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Commander Gillian Shepard, N7 Special Forces, British Royal Navy, has been tasked with a unique assignment in dangerous times: Get behind enemy lines and obtain valuable information vital to Britain's (and the Alliance's) survival in the war against the Nazis.  But from the first, she realizes that the fight is not quite what it seems, and could ultimately force her to make some difficult, and unpopular, decisions.  Set during the Second World War, this story follows the events of the Mass Effect games through the time period roughly 1937 through the end of the war and immediately following.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**_Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few._ **

                                - Winston Churchill

 

* * *

  
Why was it, Sam wondered as she sat at the kitchen table staring out the window at the frozen surroundings beyond, that whenever opportunity arose for her life just … got in the way?  This was supposed to have been a family outing.  A visit with grandparents at the family orchard, relatives whom she didn’t get to see too often.  A chance to play hockey with her older brothers out of doors, like it _should_ be played.  A rest from school and homework, a chance to recharge before the beginning of the new semester …

 

But all of that had changed two weeks before break when a freak accident at school had left her with a dislocated knee (just days before she was to go on the Senior ski trip, too!), immediate surgery for the damaged tendons and two weeks of missed studies as the semester came to a close.  Now the two weeks of vacation she’d been counting on would be spent indoors, relegated to sitting around the kitchen table and completing work she had missed.  

  
Tossing her pen atop the notepad in front of her in disgust, Sam shifted and buried her face in her hands, elbows pressed to the table.  To top it all off, she had a huge paper due the day she returned to school.  Papers.  Lovely.  She hated research papers.  They were horrid things to her way of thinking.  Not so much the research - Sam loved learning about things, reading, that sort of thing - but the writing ...  How many ways could you regurgitate information without sounding like a monotonous drone?  She’d never done well with term papers, the best grade she’d ever received on one was a C+ and that had been pushing it.  

 

The soft ‘thunk’ of a mug being placed  beside her brought Sam back to the present, if not out of her misery completely.  Peeking between fingers that still covered her face, she felt a tolerant grin pull at her lips.  “Hey, Grandpa,” she murmured before lowering her hands.

 

He smiled warmly.  Nodding at the mug, he took  a sip from his own and commented, “You looked like you could use some tea.”

  
Sam’s eyes brightened.  Grandpa always made the best tea.  “Thanks,” she told him while pushing her notebook and pen to the side.  Sniffing at the hot drink, she took a careful sip.  “Ooooo, it’s the good stuff.”

 

Her grandfather chuckled.  “What else would I give my girl but the best, hmm?” he countered.

  
Sam grinned.  Always, he called her ‘his girl.’  She’d been the first daughter born after several generations of men on both sides in the family.  While her brothers seemed to think this was nothing out of the ordinary and her uncles just teased her mercilessly about being the only girl, her grandfather had always regarded her as something extra special.  

  
“You looked as if you were having trouble with your work,” he continued, nodding in the direction of her notebook.  “Something I can help with?”

 

Sam sighed and slumped just a bit as the weight of real life settled on her slender shoulders again.  “Just … homework,” she explained.  “A paper that I had due while I was in the hospital.”  

 

He nodded in understanding before asking, “What’s the topic?”

  
This time, Sam snorted.  After taking another careful sip of the tea, she told him, “That’s the thing … I don’t know.  It’s for my history class.  I’m supposed to pick a person who’s done something that affected the world around them and tell all about them.  What the heck does that even mean?”  She sighed again.  “I mean … _every_ one affects the world around them!”

  
Her grandfather chuckled and held out a hand.  Bending his fingers in a ‘give it to me’ gesture, Sam reluctantly handed over the assignment sheet.  He set his tea aside for the moment, cleared his throat and read, “‘Choose someone from the era of the Second World War and write a paper featuring how they affected the world around them during a time of crisis.’  That doesn’t sound so bad,” he concluded, handing back the paper.

  
Sam groaned.  “Grandpa,” she moaned, “it is!  I don’t have anyone I can write about!  I mean, anyone famous has too much written about them already and would make for a paper that will be too long, and anyone unknown won’t have enough available out there.”  Sighing again, she dropped her head into her hands as she had done earlier.  Voice slightly muffled, she finished, “I’m doomed.  I never do well on papers anyway.  Why should I even bother?”

  
Sam felt a warmth snake around one wrist and opened her eyes to find her grandfather’s hand tightening there gently, tugging lightly to get her to look up.  “You bother because it’s a school assignment and you are required to do it.  As for the doing well … perhaps you just need the right topic to write on.”

  
Sam rolled her eyes.  “Weren’t you listening?” she asked.  “There’s no one -”

  
But he raised his hand in a silencing motion.  “Ah, but there is,” he informed her.  

  
Sam frowned.  “Who?” she demanded.

  
He sat back in his chair and lifted his mug again.  “Let me tell you a bit of a story first, and then you can see what you think.”

  
Sam pondered this a moment before shrugging her shoulders and reluctant acceptance.  Reaching for her own mug, she muttered, “What the hell.  I’ve got nothing to lose, do I?”

  
He chuckled and shook his head.  “Not at all,” he assured her.  “Now then, let me see ….”


	2. Chances Are ...

The final rumbling echoes of thunder were fading away, rolling off into the distance as the shadows of the late season storm passed, the only evidence of their presence in the first place being small pools of collected drops scattered here and there across the paved lot.

 

“Hurry up, will you Commander?  Night’s not getting any younger, you know.”

 

“You’re not here for a good time, Gunny,” Gillian groused good naturedly as she ducked and dodged puddles and the last of the errant raindrops.  “You’d do well to remember that.  This meeting is business, not pleasure.”

 

“Pfft,” her companion sniffed as she drew her overcoat a bit closer to her slender frame.  The chill in the air was the last, thankless gift of the storms.  “It may be business as you say, but you _need_ me, Gill.  You know that.  I know that.  Hell, Captain Anderson knows that too, otherwise he wouldn’t have agreed to me coming along on this visit, right?”

 

Gillian pursed her lips together as she climbed the stairs to the doorway, the silence.  “Just hush and stay out of trouble, will you, Ash?  Whether you agree or not, I _am_ here on business,” she muttered.  

  
Ashley froze in her tracks, a move that kept the door behind her propped open, just a bit of outside light seeping into the inner hall.  But it was enough for the Ashley to see the Commander’s face … and the light pink stain spreading across her cheeks.  “You _didn’t_ clear it with him first?” she asked in a hushed yet ‘pouncing cat who caught the canary’ sort of tone.  “I came all the way across the Atlantic for this opportunity!  I thought it was a done deal!  Christ, Gill, what were you _thinking_?”

 

“I was thinking that Anderson knows me well enough to know that I can choose my partners without his input,” Gillian pointed out.  That said, she grabbed Ashley by the wrist and pulled her along as she stepped through the curtains separating the inside of the pub from the outer door.  Of all the things she had to worry about at this moment, her friend giving her a hard time about alerting her commanding officer about her plans was at the bottom of the list.  Nodding off to their right, Gillian murmured, “Go listen to the wireless or something.  Just stay out of trouble.  I’ll call you over when I’m ready.”

  
Ashley grinned.  “Hey, I’m the model of propriety … or at least, staying out of trouble.  You know better than that, Gill,” she teased beneath her breath.  Gillian tried valiantly to keep her eyes from rolling as she turned to face the rest of the pub.  “And I’m the bloody Queen of England,” she muttered.  The only sign Ashley had heard was the soft giggle floating back towards Gillian a moment later.

 

Gillian scanned the room quickly, eyes adjusting to the dimly lit, hazy, smoky atmosphere with little trouble.  The acrid stench of cigarette smoke filling her lungs at the moment was actually somewhat comforting as the familiar scents reminded her that she was indeed home.  There was a general hum filling the room - voices grouped into discussions, barmaids clearing off tables, the muted thuds as two older men on the far side took each other on in a game of darts all while some of the latest songs played from a wireless up near the bar.  Somewhere in the background of the cacophony she heard the tell-tale sound of either snooker or billiards somewhere in the distance.  Gillian felt the pull of a smile.   _Definitely home_.  

 

She spotted Anderson on the far side of the room, seated at a table rather than a booth, and she began weaving her way through the mass of bodies that filled the common room.  Mostly men, majority of them military of one branch or another, Gillian maneuvered her way through with the skill of one used to dealing with the myriad of obstacles that life could throw her way.  That she had specialized training to do so was beside the point.  

  
Arriving moments later, Gillian waved off Anderson as he rose to his feet and pulled out a chair for her.  Typical for him, he ignored her and waited for her to be seated.  “Good to see you, Commander,” he greeted her as he retook his chair a moment later.  

  
Before Gillian could answer, one of the barmaids dropped by to take their order.  “G & T,” she replied immediately.  “And make it a double.”  Anderson’s brow lifted in question, but he said nothing as he gave the woman his order.  It was only after she’d gone that he finally spoke.  “That bad, huh?”

  
Gillian sighed and nodded while staring intently at her hands now resting before her on the tabletop.  “That bad,” she echoed solemnly.  “Damn near didn’t make it out this time.”  

 

“Yeah.  Admiral Hackett told me about that,” Anderson returned.  At first, his tone was sympathetic, solemn, but it soon shifted to a bit of admiration as he added, “Also told me about _how_ you managed to get out.”

  
Gillian groaned.   _Dammit!_  “Christ!” she hissed softly.  “Well, what was I supposed to do?” she demanded, a bit more fiercely than was probably necessary, but still.  “I wasn’t going to just sit down and die over there!”

 

Anderson’s smile widened.  “I never thought you would,” he replied in a calm tone.  He paused for a moment as the barmaid returned with their drinks and set them down before leaving.  “You’re a credit to your training, you know.  Intelligent, quick thinking, sensible under pressure, and like always, you were successful in your mission.”

 

Gillian scowled and glanced over at him while reaching for her drink.  She downed half of it in one gulp, hoping that the alcohol would numb her to the memories his words were stirring up.  “Not always,” she muttered.

 

“Look,” Anderson broke in before she could say anything else, “Akuze wasn’t your fault.”

 

Gillian’s eyes darkened, temper and irritation flaring as it usually did when this particular part of her past was brought up.  “Is that why you asked me here?” she demanded harshly, leaning just a bit more towards him and keeping her voice low so others wouldn’t hear.  “To hash that up again?  I passed my psych evals, remember?  Or … No, I know what it was.  My father talked you into -”

  
“Your father had nothing to do with it,” Anderson insisted firmly.  “Nor did your brother, so you can just stop there, Gillian.  I asked you to meet me here for an altogether different reason.”

 

“Fine.”  Gillian downed the rest of her first drink, biting back another harsh retort.  She wasn’t even certain why she was taking out all of her anger and frustration on him, to be honest.  That particular mission had gone south not because of him, but because of faulty intel.  Plain and simple.  Anderson hadn’t been involved in it at all.  The only thing he’d ever done in concern with the matter was to support her call.  Sighing and swallowing back the remaining bitterness, she grasped at the change of topic he’d offered her.  “So then, what’s your ‘altogether different reason?’”

 

~ ~ ~

 

If asked, Ashley would probably have admitted that one of her most favorite places to be when off duty was in a bar … or in this case, seeing as they were in London, a pub.  It wasn’t so much for the drinking aspect of things (though that was often a bonus depending on circumstances leading up to the visit) as it was because she was a people watcher.  Whether alone or with a group, Ash liked to observe people around her and determine just what made them tick.  Over the years, she’d become quite good at it and the skills certainly came in handy whenever she was brought in to evaluate new groups of recruits as they moved through the ranks.  Hell, even some of her fellow NCOs would ask her opinions on the recruits they couldn’t figure out.  

 

First stop in the _Crown and Anchor_ then was the bar to get a beer, or ale she supposed was the appropriate term for it here.  As long as it tasted good, she wouldn’t be picky.  She’d been in country for only a couple of days and was still trying to sort things out.  For the most part, all had gone well enough.  Crossing the road had been a bit of a challenge at first, but self-preservation instincts (and Gillian’s habit of tossing her arm out to block her) had taught her real quick to look right first and then left.  Only a few wisecracks had been directed her way when people figured out she was American, but Ashley didn’t mind so much … yet, anyway.  She’d come over at the request of her friend.  A woman she had quickly come to respect and trust even though they were, technically, barely more than acquaintances.  It was strange how life in the military, no matter which branch or nationality, helped with that.  Survival depended upon it.  Those that figured it out sooner rather than later tended to survive longer, too.

  
Drink finally in hand, Ashley turned so that her back was leaning against the bar.  The area was crowded … the entire pub was over crowded, truth be told, but Ash found she was enjoying it.  The sights, sounds, even the smells only added to the atmosphere.  This place was _hopping_.  A quick survey of the room informed her that most of those present were in some branch of the military or another.  The majority were men, she noted, though she did spot a few women in uniform.  That caused a smile to form as she took a drink.  Women on active duty in the service these days was, thankfully, a generally accepted idea.  Granted, there were still occasional issues that cropped up from time to time, but for the most part, everyone seemed to see it as a good thing.  Which was great, she thought, when one considered what the potential for the future held in store these days.

 

Across the room, Ashley spotted Gillian seating herself with an older man, presumably Captain Anderson.  Ashley had never met the man herself, but she’d heard Gillian talk about him on occasion.  Apparently, the man was not just her superior officer, but a family friend.  

 

“I hope you’re not working surveillance or something,” a smooth baritone interrupted Ash’s thoughts at that moment, “otherwise you’ll be in for a rude awakening when they meet you at the door as you leave.”

  
Startled, Ashley glanced to her left to find an unfamiliar uniform.  Eyes rising to meet his, she was caught off guard by the intensity of his gaze.  Dark hair, caramel colored eyes and that smooth voice already had her evaluating the rest of his body language.  “You sure I’m not here watching out for you instead?  Could be they’re the bluff and you’re the real target,” she challenged cheekily.  

 

His smile widened just a bit.  “I’m hardly worthy of that sort of attention,” he returned.  A moment later he observed, “You’re American.”

 

Ashley’s eyes narrowed, another quick retort on her lips as she began, “And you’re …,” she frowned as she realized suddenly that his uniform wasn’t quite right.  A shade too dark, the gold trim at the wrists slightly off, “... not.”  It was odd … he sounded American, and yet his uniform wasn’t.  But it wasn’t British, either, from what she could tell, though she knew that could be a deception.  There were people like Gillian, for example, who were decidedly British in their accent, but when she spoke, it was usually American colloquialisms flowing out.  The only thing she could determine from it was that it was navy.

  
He chuckled.  “No, I’m not,” he agreed.  After another moment in which he allowed her to puzzle about it, he finally relented.  “Canadian.”

 

Ashley almost felt embarrassed that she’d not thought of that.  “Of course,” she murmured.  Setting her glass aside on the bar, she turned to face him more fully.  Extending her hand, she decided introductions might get them back on track.  “Gunnery Sergeant, Ashley Williams.”

 

He took her hand in a firm grip, she noted, shook once and then released it.  “Lieutenant, Kaidan Alenko.”  Nodding towards the far side of the room, he asked, “Should I assume you’re with them?”

 

Ashley chuckled.  “Well, you know what they say about making assumptions, LT,” she teased easily.  When she saw him darken just a bit in embarrassment, she eased off.  “To be honest, I’m not sure.  I mean, Gill and I arrived together, but I guess I was an afterthought or something, so I don’t know.”  She shrugged and reached for her ale once more.  Taking a deep pull from the glass, she glanced over at him and smiled.  “I’ll find out soon enough, I suppose.”

  
The lieutenant chuckled.  “No doubt,” he replied.  “In the meantime, how about another drink?”  

  
Ashley was surprised to realize as he nodded towards her glass that it was empty.  “Can’t say no to that, I guess,” she replied with a grin while setting the glass back on the bar surface.  

  
Kaidan signaled the bartender for his order, handing one over to Ashley before paying and rejoining the conversation.  “Long way from home, Williams,” he commented.  “Any particular reason you’re here?”

 

Ashley side-glanced him as she took a drink.  Shrugging, she replied, “Gill, I guess you’d say.  She talked me into coming over.  Supposed to be a vacation of sorts, but you know how it is.  ‘All work and no play ….’”  She let the backwards paraphrasing trail off.

 

Kaidan chuckled.  “Workaholic, are you?” he mused, recognizing the saying.  

  
“Maybe … just a little.”  She rolled her eyes.  “Not _nearly_ as bad as Gill, though.  Sheesh, you’d think the woman would learn to let up a little after some of the things she’s been through.”

 

Kaidan kept his eyes upon the pair at the table though he continued to listen to Williams ramble on.  “Gill,” he echoed then, a thought occurring to him, “your friend, that is.  Is she military too?”  He had only a side view of her, but something about the dark ginger curled hair, peaches and cream complexion was striking a familiar chord in him.  Or maybe it was the scar he could see on her right temple.  Something about it ….

 

“Gillian?” Ashley repeated.  “Hell yeah.  Her whole family is military.  Followed in her father’s footsteps, I guess you could say.”

 

Kaidan’s eyes narrowed just a bit more.   _Gillian … why does that sound familiar?_  “Gillian?” he repeated, making it a question rather than an echo.

  
Again, Ashley side-glanced him.  “Lieutenant Commander Gillian Shepard.  N7 special forces, survivor of -”

  
Kaidan groaned as it came back to him in an instant.  “Akuze.  Right.”  Eyes closing for a moment, he recalled what he’d heard about that horrible mission gone wrong.  Didn’t matter what branch or nationality you were - anyone in _any_ armed service had heard about Akuze.    _Damn_.  “Sorry,” he added, turning to face her.  “I’ve just never seen her in person before.  Only pictures in the paper and such.”

  
Ashley nodded.  “Yeah, I know what you mean,” she returned.  Then she grinned.  “For what it’s worth, LT, I mucked it up good the first time she and I met, too.”

  
It was the amusement in her tone that caught his attention.  Brow lifting, he took a drink and asked, “How do you mean?”

 

“Not sure if your military does the same, but the US Army has the N7’s come over to train with us periodically.  Strut their stuff, you know?  Look at a few potential recruits, too.  It is a joint program, after all.”  Ash saw him nod his understanding.  “So, a year or so ago, Gill was the N7 sent to Fort Lewis where I’m stationed out of.”

 

Kaidan felt his eyes widen in surprise.  “You’re N7?”  She didn’t strike him as the type for some reason he couldn’t quite put a name to, but they were special forces after all.  Perhaps he’d missed the clues …?

 

Ashley barked out a laugh.  “Hell no!” she retorted, full grin crossing her features.  “I’d never make it through if I tried,” she admitted.  Offering a sheepish smile, she continued, “I know my limitations, LT.  Foreign languages and medical training are two of them.  I’ll stick with shooting things - it’s what I know.  Anyway, so Gill comes over to do the training that time.  We had, oh … maybe six recruits waiting for her to run through the paces, you know?  I’m just there running enlistees through basic.  Anyway, word spread, so of course we all found out about it and looked for any and all opportunities to go watch.  After all, we could learn a thing or two, right?”

  
Kaidan nodded, eyes drifting back to the pair seated at the table across the room as he listened.  

“It was … unbelievable,” Ashley finally finished in a somewhat vague manner.  “Sorry.  I’m not sure I should go into specifics -”

  
“Don’t worry about it,” Kaidan told her.  “I figured as much.”  To be quite honest, he was surprised she’d told him as much as she had.

  
“I’ll just say that she had them working their collective tails off and leave it at that.”  Ashley set her glass on the bar, finished, and turned to face him again.  “Last night there, she and the recruits come to the local drinking establishment.”  Ashley almost giggled at the phrase.  The place had been a dive, just off the base, but it was the one frequented mostly by the soldiers stationed there.  “Place is packed.  The door opens, Gill leads the way in, recruits following behind.  First thing that happens is every single person in that shithole stands to attention and salutes them.  Afterwards, she buys the recruits the first round.”  Ashley crossed her arms as she leaned back against the bar again.  

 

“Did they move on?” Kaidan asked, curiosity getting the better of him in that moment.

  
She shook her head.  “Nope, not a one,” she admitted.  “But the thing I learned from that experience was that you gained a hell of a lot of respect just for trying.”  Head still shaking a bit in wonder, she looked over at him again.  “Gill told me a bit more about it later.  The training, that is.  Makes a trip to hell look like a cake walk ....”

 

~ ~ ~

 

Captain David Anderson sat back in his chair, legs stretched out before him under the table, arms crossed somewhat casually over his broad chest and simply waited, dark eyes surveying the woman sitting across from him.  It wouldn’t take long, he figured.  If there was one thing he knew about Gillian Shepard it was that she was not afraid to speak her mind if she was so inclined.  In that regard, he knew her to be a lot like her father.  Commodore Hugh Shepard and his youngest child didn’t often see eye to eye, but were more alike than either cared to admit.  The only obvious evidence of Gillian’s mother’s influence was in her slender build, grey eyes and dark ginger curls.  Anderson knew, though, that there were more subtle influences there as well.

  
A hint of a smile played at the corner of Anderson’s lips as he considered all of this.  He and Hugh Shepard, along with Steven Hackett, had all met upon joining the Royal Navy.  Through the years, some even spent serving together, a long lasting and time and battle- tested friendship had developed.  Together through good times and bad.  When Hugh had bucked family tradition and married an American woman, Hackett and Anderson had stood beside him before, during and after the ceremony.  When Sarah Shepard had passed away in the Spanish Flu epidemic while visiting family in the United States in 1919, again it had been Hackett and Anderson who assisted with the arrangements necessary for family burial in England as well as the retrieval of gravely ill and very young Gillian who had been with her mother in the States at the time.  

 

Hard headed.  Determined.  Stubborn almost to a fault.  Gillian had shown those attributes since birth.  They were part of why she had survived the flu epidemic when most others hadn’t.  As she’d grown, she’d continued to show them, and more.  That steadfast determination had gotten her into as many scrapes and situations as it had gotten her out of, no doubts there.  Single minded focus on the tasks at hand had helped too.  She had an innate ability to scan a situation or scene before her, prioritize her way through it and still survive at the end.  Failure was never an option.  

 

_Like father, like daughter_ , he thought while barely managing to swallow a chuckle.  

 

She’d been sitting there stiffly, head lowered, eyes on hands that were laced together on the table in front of her.  Still silent, Anderson was not concerned.  One thing Gillian had over her father, no doubt something she had taken from her mother, was her ability to think a situation through thoroughly before making a decision.  Considering all options, all possible outcomes.  It was the same reason he’d refused to play chess with her after being defeated when she was twelve.  

  
Greyish-green eyes lifted to meet his then.  “I work better alone.”

  
Anderson nodded once.  Gillian wouldn’t be Gillian without making her point first.  He avoided the obvious counter to her argument, dating back to the mission from which she’d almost not returned.  “You’re a team leader, Shepard,” he told her simply.  “You’re experience is invaluable to training others.”

 

Still, she didn’t seem convinced.  “We won’t be able to be ready fast enough.”

 

Anderson did chuckle at this.  “I’ve no doubt you can whip them into shape fast enough.  You’re a tough taskmaster,” he told her with a slight grin.  “And it’s not like they won’t have any training to start with.”

 

Gillian scowled and glanced away for a moment.  That was when he knew for certain he had her.  When her eyes met his again, he saw the defiance there, but it was tempered with resignation.  “I choose my team,” she stipulated.  

 

“Shepard ….”

  
“That’s non-negotiable.”

  
Anderson sighed.  “Gillian ….  Damn if you don’t drive a hard bargain just like your old man.”

  
Gillian snorted softly.  “Neither insults nor flattery will get you anywhere with me, Anderson.  You should know that by now.”

 

“I do.”  Sitting forward, Anderson gave her a nod.  “Alright, fine.   _But_ ….”

  
Gillian’s eyes narrowed on him then.  “But?” she challenged quietly.

  
“One condition.”

  
“And that is?”  Now it was she sitting back, arms crossed.  

  
“I have someone I want you to meet.”  He saw an eyebrow lift, question mixed with warning.  “He will be a part of your team.  Non-negotiable.  The rest of your crew you decide.  No questions asked.”  Though, he’d have plenty of suggestions, whether she wished the assistance or not.  Thing was, she was probably expecting that, too.

 

Silence fell again, but Anderson was patient.  It didn’t take long for her to sit back up, uncross her arms and nod.  “Alright, Anderson.”

 

“Good.”  Glancing towards the bar, Anderson spotted who he was looking for and waved him over.

  
~ ~ ~

 

Gillian glanced over her shoulder towards the bar as Anderson gestured.  As she turned, she spotted Ash in that direction near the bar talking with someone.  Gillian waited for her friend to meet her gaze before she inclined her head just the slightest bit.  Ash nodded once before turning to move in her direction.  

  
Turning back to face Anderson again, Gillian reached for the last of her drink and tossed it back.  She suspected she was going to need the fortification for whatever might be ahead of her. Anderson was setting up an ambush of sorts, she could tell.  Which was also part of the reason she’d called Ash over.  If she was going into this meeting unprepared, she wanted backup.  It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Anderson.  Fact was, she did.  More so than most people, and that included her father.  But then again, in a career where her life depended on her gut instinct and the level of trust that she could have in someone, well ….

  
“Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko, Commander Gillian Shepard.”  

  
Anderson’s deep, rumbling voice brought Gill’s thoughts back to her current surroundings.  Glancing upwards, grayish-green eyes met amber and for just a moment, Gillian felt her breath catch.  She couldn’t put a reason to it, but there was something … familiar in those eyes.  She saw him straighten for a moment, but he did not salute which she was thankful for in this place.  Last thing she needed were the rest of the patrons to start saluting her as well, which she knew they probably would if they knew it was her.  At this point of her career, she’d built up a bit of a reputation.  “Commander.”

 

Gillian nodded politely, gesturing towards one of the nearby chairs.  “Lieutenant,” she returned.  Ashley joined them a moment later, taking the last empty chair.  Glancing over at Anderson, Gillian offered him a slightly cheeky smile as she made her own introductions.  “Captain Anderson, my partner, Gunnery Sergeant Ashley Williams.”  If she lingered on the word ‘partner’ just a bit longer than necessary, it was only to prove a point.  The look and slight nod Anderson gave her in return told her he got the message, loud and clear.

 

“Gunny,” Anderson acknowledged briefly.  “Gill, let’s keep this simple for now,” he continued a moment later, voice dropped so just they could hear him.  “This is neither the time nor the place to get into details.”

 

Gillian nodded.  “Agreed.”  Her smile softened to something a bit more friendly.  “Tomorrow evening,” she suggested.  “Dinner.  My father’s expecting you anyway, I’d imagine,” she added, corner of her lips turning upwards just a bit more.  Was there ever a time when Anderson was in town that he didn’t visit her father?  Glancing over at the lieutenant, she arched a brow in question.  “Say, six-thirty?  Drinks and dinner?”

 

His smile caught her off guard, to say the very least.  For just a moment, Gillian wondered why it was so difficult to breathe.  And then reality returned with a good swift nudge of her ankle.  “Thank you, Commander,” the lieutenant replied as Gillian kicked back at Ashley’s foot under the table.  Who else would it have been?  

  
Anderson nodded his agreement.  “Right then.  And yes, Gill, I’ll be seeing your father.  We both have meetings in London all day tomorrow.”  Turning towards the lieutenant, he added, “I’ll have a car sent around for you to take you out when it’s time.”  After a nod towards Ashley, he faced Gillian one last time as he rose to his feet.  “Until tomorrow evening then.”

  
Gillian stood along with Alenko and Williams, all three nodding their salute to the superior officer as he turned to leave.  Her eyes trailing after him as he crossed the room, she barely heard the discussion between Ashley and Alenko as they returned to their seats.  It wasn’t until Ashley called her name for, apparently, a second or third time that Gillian was able to bring herself around to join in the conversation.  

 

“Gill?  Hey, you still with us?”

 

“Hmm?”  Gillian dropped her eyes to her hands, felt the heat of a blush staining her cheeks.  “Sorry.  Thoughts were elsewhere.”

  
“You know the Captain, Commander?” Alenko asked.  

  
Gillian nodded.  Glancing over at him, she offered him a smile.  “He’s an old family friend.  I’ve known him since … oh … forever,” she finally added with a soft laugh.  “How about you?”

 

The lieutenant hesitated for a moment before replying.  “Going on … maybe … ten years now I think?  He’s the one who talked me into enlisting.”

 

Gillian grinned.  “Funny, that,” she mused, “he did the same to me.”

  
Leaning back in her seat, Gillian sighed heavily as the weight of recent events, travel, the day and the conversation she’d just had with Anderson all building up and settled around her.  She felt completely and utterly exhausted.  She did manage to cover her mouth as a yawn cracked there, though.  Even so, Ashley couldn’t resist giving her a hard time.  “Past your bedtime, Gill?” she teased.

  
Gillian frowned at her friend, reached out to swat at her somewhat playfully, but instead pulled the hand back to cover her mouth yet again for the same reason as before.  “Apparently,” she reluctantly admitted as she glanced at her watch.  “My body still thinks it’s on Munich time.  Guess that means you’re driving me home, Gunny,” she added with a grin.  Ashley was staying out at Gillian’s father’s place with her, after all.

 

With an over exaggerated sigh, Ashley downed the last of her drink.  She knew damned well Gillian would be driving because if she tried they’d be sure to end up in an accident because she chose the wrong side of the road or something.  “Right then.”  Rising to her feet, Gillian watched as her friend nodded at Alenko.  “Good to meet you, LT,” she told him while extending her hand towards him.  

  
“Likewise,” Alenko replied, accepting her hand and shaking it firmly.  

  
Gillian then faced him as she stood.  “Nice to meet you, Alenko.  We’ll see you tomorrow evening then.”

  
Again, as earlier, the smile he gave her seemed to light up his entire face.  “Yes, ma’am,” he replied as he gave her a firm handshake as well.  “Have a good evening.”

 

On the way out to the car, after they’d left the building, Gillian grunted softly as Ashley punched her upper arm.  It hit just a bit too close ….  “What the hell, Ash?” she protested.  

  
“ _That_ ,” Ashley explained as they neared the vehicle, “was for not telling Anderson before we got here.”  She reached for the door and slipped inside before slugging Gillian’s upper arm again, almost the same place.

 

“Dammit!” Gillian cursed, yanking herself to her left to get out of reach.

 

“ _That_ one was for cutting the evening short.”

  
Gillian snorted as she put the key in the ignition and started the vehicle.  “Cutting it short?  I’m lucky I got through it as long as I did.”  That was probably about as close as she would come to admitting just how tired she was.  That last mission, the one she’d been returning from just hours after Ashley had arrived in London, at Gillian’s request, had not gone well at all.  Not only had it left her mentally exhausted, but she was still recovering from a wound she’d received during the mission.  When it looked as if Ashley might hit her for the third time in nearly the same place, Gillian turned to face her friend, catching the fist in her good hand.  “Don’t,” she pleaded.  “You’ve made your point.  You wanted more time with the Lieutenant.  I get it.  Really, Ash, I do, and I’m sorry -”

  
“What?” Ashley choked out before erupting into laughter.  “Good God, Gill, that wasn’t what I meant at all!”  

 

Gillian frowned and turned her attention to driving.  “Then what -”

  
“Oh, hell … he’s had eyes for you since the minute I met him at the bar,” she muttered.  

  
Gillian blinked in bemusement.  “What?  How could he?  He doesn’t even _know_ me.  Or who I am.  Or ….”  Gillian darted a look over at her friend, a nervous expression crossing her face.  “Unless you told him?”

 

“No,” Ashley insisted quickly.  “Well, not much, anyway,” she clarified a moment later.  “I mean, he seemed to sort of know you already.  Recognized your name before I told him, that sort of thing.”

  
“Uh huh.”

  
Ashley grinned over at Gillian.  “So … tomorrow night we’ll have to get you dolled up so you can, um, make a good impression.”

  
It was all Gillian could do to keep from swerving off the country road.   _Dammit!_  Had it really been so long since she’d been around her friend that she’d forgotten just how … blunt and open with her remarks she could be?  “Ash!”

 

Ashley chuckled heartily and sat back in her seat.  “Admit it, Gill … you missed me, didn’t you?” she challenged as Gillian continued to drive towards her father’s home.  She only laughed harder as Gillian began muttering beneath her breath.  It was nice to know that, despite the current political climate out in the world, some things really didn’t change all that much.


	3. An Evening To Remember

_September 1937, near Waltham Abbey, Essex, England_

 

With all that had happened of late, Gillian wasn’t surprised to find once she opened her eyes the next morning that she’d slept most of the early part of the day away.  As much as she might not have wanted to mention it to Anderson the evening before, that last mission she’d been on had taken its toll.  And in more ways than one.  She might have grumbled that she preferred to work alone, but that was just her ingrained stubbornness talking.  Gillian was intelligent enough to understand that having partners in the field would better their chances at success and, at least theoretically, make things easier.  But she also understood that a team was only as strong as the weakest link, which was why she’d insisted that she have the final decision in selecting her team.  If she was going to do this, she was going to be damned certain she had a team that was as strong as she was.

Gillian spent the remainder of the morning (all couple hours of it) alone in her room after being assured by the note she found beneath her door that Ashley had decided to lose herself in the library for ‘a good long while.’  The note had Gillian grinning ear to ear and not surprised in the least.  One of the things that she had discovered about her American friend was that she loved poetry.  Tennyson in particular, but poetry in general.  And while Gillian was familiar with some of the classics, she did not have the widespread diverse knowledge of her friend.  However, Gillian knew her father’s library to have quite the collection and had mentioned it to Ashley as one benefit to traveling across the Atlantic for a visit.  There certainly was enough in there to keep her American friend occupied quite contentedly for a long while … or at the very least an afternoon.

After a quick bath, a change into comfortable slacks, turtleneck sweater and walking shoes, Gillian found her brother to inform him that she would be leaving the premises for a while.  Gillian then exited the house and, following with tradition (or superstition, some might say), began walking through the town in the direction of the old Abbey.  It wasn’t far and the fresh air certainly went a long way to helping clear her head, but Gillian had more reason than that for her current destination.  She had a visit to make, respects to pay, history to observe and maintain.

Of the three, it was ultimately this last that led her to fulfill the other two.  Gillian was well aware that many people tended to disregard the importance of past events on those of the current day, all while claiming they no longer had any application to more modern times.  But Gillian understood from personal experience that there _was_ relevancy in the past.  Whether personal or on a grander scale, she could see the comparison of events, similarities and differences, lessons that ought to be learned and implemented, and yet often were left ignored or simply disregarded because they were considered ‘old fashioned.’  Repetition of past events could be good or bad, depending on the event, and with the current state of the world around them, it was something Gillian was taking to heart more and more often of late.  

Today’s walk, from door to gate, took Gillian about fifteen minutes.  Upon entering the cemetery grounds, her first and last stop _always_ was to her mother’s grave.  Located beneath a willow tree, Gillian knelt and brushed a few errant leaves and twigs from the tombstone until she could view the words there, trace them with her fingers.   _Sarah Shepard, beloved wife and mother …._  Gillian sighed.  The woman who had given her life.  The one who had encouraged her from a very young age to go after her dreams and never give them up, no matter the cost.  The guiding hand who had passed away all too soon, leaving behind a young daughter who sorely missed her presence.  

There were times when Gillian struggled to recall what her mother looked like.  Sure, there were photographs of her, but her father had boxed many of those away after her death, the constant reminder of what he’d lost too much of a burden for him in his grief.  However, there was a family portrait, commissioned the year before Sarah had passed, that still hung in the drawing room over the fireplace.  And Jamie …  Gillian smiled to herself.  God bless him.  Five years older than her, Jamie had managed to save two photographs before their father had rounded the rest up.  One he’d kept for himself, the other he’d saved for her, hiding them both away until such a time that he could give Gillian one to hoard away in safekeeping when she was older and could understand better.  Years later, each still had their photograph tucked away but always nearby and within easy reach.  

Gillian was still kneeling before the grave when she heard someone behind her clearing their throat in a polite manner.  “Good day, Miss Gillian.”

Smiling, Gillian sat back on her heels, tossing a glance over her shoulder at the cemetery’s groundskeeper.  “Hello, Patrick.”

“Been a while, Miss,” he observed in a neutral fashion, though he did step closer to her.  “Hope all is well with you.”

Gillian offered him a smile.  “Well enough in these crazy times, I suppose,” she returned.  Brushing her hands off on her pants legs, she rose to her feet.  “Just returned from a trip,” she explained.  

Patrick nodded knowingly.  He’d been lead gravedigger here for years and knew Gillian’s preferred schedule of visiting before and after her journeys.  “Good to see you home safe and sound again, Miss.”

Sighing, Gillian took a moment to glance around the surrounding area.  Save for the few loose leaves that had fallen, no doubt, during the day, the place was the epitome of well kept.  “It’s good to be home,” she replied.  Another soft sigh, and she turned to face Patrick.  “Now to see the old man.  How is he?” she teased lightly as she turned and began crossing the cemetery.  

Patrick chuckled and fell into step beside her.  “The Old Man,” as Gillian affectionately referred to him was the supposed tombstone and burial site of King Harold II (also known as Godwinson), last Saxon king of England.  After being defeated by William the Conqueror, his remains eventually were brought to Waltham Abbey for burial.  There were all sorts of lessons to be learned from that time period, Gillian was not the only one to realize that.  However, with him (supposedly) buried in the same cemetery as her mother, Gillian couldn’t help but wonder if it gave her some sort of … added inspiration or guidance.  Whether it did or not was not the question, though.  All that mattered was that Gillian felt more at peace after visiting his shrine, and oft times found she could find just a bit more inspiration in whatever project she was currently working on as a result.  

  


~ ~ ~

  


The rest of the afternoon passed uneventfully and mostly in a relaxing manner for which Gillian felt entitled after the fiasco of her last mission and her mad dash of an escape.  She’d yet to be debriefed on it, though she suspected that was part of Anderson’s intentions for the evening.  It wouldn’t be the first time he’d done so, taking advantage of a more relaxed atmosphere, the feeling of someplace safe and secure making the memories flow a bit easier.  The added effects of a glass or two of good wine or liquor was merely a side benefit.

So with that at the back of her mind, and despite Ashley’s efforts to help her get ‘all dolled up’ for the evening, Gillian selected a comfortable dress in a dark charcoal grey.  It was an old favorite, and one that had a secondary purpose.  It kept the injury on her arm hidden from view.  Ashley had protested the outfit at first, suggesting that Gillian had something more ‘presentable’ in her closet, but Gillian had insisted.  After a brief tussle with her friend in which Ashley won and threw open said closet to rummage around, Gillian could only grin widely as her friend finally relented, giving in and agreeing that if nothing else, it was probably the nicest thing in there.  

“Hey, I’m no Coco Chanel,” Gillian had countered dryly.  One of these days, Gillian realized belatedly, she was going to have to learn to shut her mouth around her friend.  Ashley’s retaliation for that comment (or the lack of updated clothing perhaps?  With her, it was difficult to tell) was to spend over an hour styling Gillian’s hair and applying make up.  Gillian had a normal ‘look’ that she used for pretty much every day.  The same hairstyle (pinned back and out of her face) and just a touch of lipstick.  If she absolutely _HAD_ to look better, she’d add a touch of eyeshadow and pinch her cheeks.  Ashley, on the other hand, had entirely something else in mind.  Twice, Gillian had nearly broken away and run, but Ashley had been prepared.  In the end, though, and much to her disgust, Gillian had to admit that the loose, soft curled look of her hair matched pretty well with the style of her dress, and the make up wasn’t so bad either, even if it did feel like it was caked on in excess.  Ashley just laughed and told her to ‘buck up.’  Gillian had the sneaky suspicion that meant Ashley would not be letting this go anytime soon.

Hours later, dinner finally completed and after-dinner drinks in hand, Hugh and Jamie Shepard excused themselves from their dinner companions as Gillian led her guests to her father’s study, securing the doors behind them.  Here, they would be able to speak privately enough without fear of interruption.  Next, she moved to open the safe for Anderson who quickly retrieved his belongings before turning back into the center of the room.  Gillian followed suit.

“It goes without saying that, for the time being at least, what we are about to discuss does not go beyond the walls of this room,” Anderson was saying as Gillian moved to take a seat on the couch beside Lieutenant Alenko.  She darted a quick, questioning look over at Ashley who was seated on one of the two chairs across from them.  Her friend’s maneuverings were not missed, but Ashley only smiled, nodded and lightly tipped her drink in Gillian’s direction, though Gillian thought she could see the slightest hint of smug satisfaction cross the other woman’s face.  

Pulling her attention back to Anderson, Gillian replied for all of them.  “Yes, of course, sir.”

“Good.”  Shortly after his arrival that evening and before they’d sat down to their meal, Anderson had placed his attache case in the study’s safe to keep it secure.  Now, he retrieved four folders which he handed around to the three of them before opening one for himself.  “You three plus one other yet-to-be-named agent will become the core group of our new initiative,” he explained.  

Gillian scanned through the contents of the folder quickly.  Once through the summary, she moved on to the more pertinent details.  The first thing to catch her eye was the headquarters.  “Code name: _Normandy_?” she murmured.

“Yes.”

Ashley frowned, setting her drink aside for the moment as she leaned forward. “Okay, you’ll have to help me with the geography here … Stoneleigh?”

“Outside of London,” Gillian offered without looking up.  “Southwest.  Somewhat rural as I recall.”

Anderson nodded.  “Or near enough, anyway.  That will be our main base of operations,” he continued.  “ _Only_ us.  Essentially, we will be a fully, self-sustaining arm of the military, but backed by Council support.  Close enough to London for major transportation options.  Also near several RAF bases that can be used if necessary, but with its own private airstrip for when we need secrecy.”

There was a moment’s pause as they read.  Familiar with the concept being presented, Gillian perhaps had the easiest time grasping the idea as a whole.  It was, after all, very similar in organization and arrangement to what she was doing now, except for one thing.

Once he had their attention again, Anderson continued.  “The objective is simple: we send in multi-member teams on specific missions.  Obviously, you will be behind ‘enemy’ lines and on your own.  The idea here, though, is to send you in with enough support that you can achieve your objective and return safely.  Sometimes that will mean one team, sometimes more.  At the moment, we’ll begin by forming two two-person teams.  As we move forward, we will make adjustments, altering the setup as needed.  Maybe three member teams will work better in certain situations.  Maybe more.  But there will always be _at least two_ ,” he gave Gillian a significant look as he emphasized the word, “members on a team.  The plan at first is to have you working together, yet separately.”

Gillian sighed and rolled her eyes before looking away.  It hadn’t been _her_ fault she’d become a target the last time ….

“And, team member assignments?” Ashley asked.  

“Tomorrow,” Anderson explained, “we will travel north.  We have been granted access to one of the training bases in Scotland.  We’ll be there about two weeks.  During that time, you three can become acquainted with each others skills and abilities, figure out what works for you and what doesn’t.  At the same time we’ll scout out a fourth team member.  Hopefully, we can do this before our time there ends.”

Leaning forward, Anderson pulled a plan from his file and laid it out on the table before them.  “The rest of the crew we already have lined up.  We have a pilot, ready to fly you across the Channel or to pick you up, whatever the situation calls for.  We have some of the best linguists out there, wireless operators, documents specialists, R&D engineers.  You name it, we’ve either got it or will have it for you.”

Taking a long moment, Anderson gave each of them a solemn look.  “I don’t think I need to emphasize the importance of this operation,” he finally spoke up again.  “We are living in very uncertain times right now.  We need every advantage we can get.  We’ve been losing too many agents by sending them in alone.”  Again, his eyes found and held Gillian’s.  “The majority of those who do return have been injured and are often out of the game for long periods of time.  We need people we can send in who can make it back on a repetitive basis.”

Gillian’s brows narrowed, but she had to make a concerted effort to keep her hand from moving to the bandage on her arm.  It was hidden well enough by her clothing at the moment, but somehow … he knew.  “You said this would be supervised by the military?” she asked.

Anderson nodded.  “Alliance brass have put us under direct control of the RAF, though majority of decisions will be made by myself, Admiral Hackett and Representative Udina.”

Gillian frowned.  “Udina?” she echoed.  

Anderson chuckled.  “I know how you feel about the man, Gillian, but he _was_ responsible for Council approval of the plan.”

“Hmm.”  Like many, she supposed, Gillian did not particularly care for politicians.  This one in particular made her skin crawl on several levels.

“Sir, if I may,” the lieutenant broke in for the first time since entering the room, “will this be a multinational group?  Or is it focused on English speaking nations?”

Gillian blinked, realizing she hadn’t given that question due consideration just yet.  A quick glance over at Anderson, and she spotted a slight twinkle in the man’s eyes.  Apparently, he was impressed.  

“An interesting question,” Anderson began.  “And though we did have input from some other nationalities, in particular the Norwegians, for the moment we will consider this to be an Alliance-only operation.  That is not to say,” he threw Gillian another look, “that multinational involvement is forbidden.”

Gillian nodded her understanding.  “Understood, sir.”  Though she had numerous contacts in countries throughout the world, Gillian understood well enough that the majority of them would not be in any position to risk life or limb by collaborating with her or an Alliance led group.  

“Keeping in mind that this is a military operation,” Anderson added, “and that we will be having some cross-overs between English speaking countries, we have reorganized the command structure a bit.  The only one it really will affect of you three will be Lieutenant Alenko.”

“Sir?”

“You’ll now have the rank of staff lieutenant.”

Gillian saw the man nod out of the corner of her eye.  “Yes, sir.  Thank you, sir.”

“Also, uniforms will be standard and consistent with RAF,” Anderson concluded, “if only so you fit in and look ‘normal’ over here.”   

“What sort of housing will be made available?” Ashley asked.

“There are barracks on site,” Anderson explained.  “Most will be taken by base personnel.  Officers and other agents will be given access to apartments closer to the town itself.  These, too, will be owned by the base which means security will be provided for as well as transportation to and from the base.”  

Gillian set her folder aside on the table and rose to her feet.  Some small kernel of anxiety was beginning to work its way through her just then, though she couldn’t explain why.  Something just felt … wrong.  “How soon will we be operational?” she asked as she neared the windows and stared out to the night beyond.

“Six weeks.”

Gillian turned back towards him, certain her surprise must have been obvious.  She could also see shock crossing both Alenko’s and William’s faces, but it was Anderson whose face she was trying to focus on and read just then.  “So quickly?”  Alarms began ringing inside her head, mostly because it meant that they would not have time for more thorough training before hand.  Something was being thrown together … and fast.  There had to be a reason for it.

But Anderson had his game face on and Gillian was unable to detect anything specific.  “Yes.”

“May I ask why, sir?” she countered.

“That information is not available at this time,” was the reply.  

Gillian met the man’s darker eyes, saw that there was more behind them than his simple answer provided.  She felt the first stirrings of dread beginning to form in the pit of her stomach.  “Sir -”

“Gillian,” he said firmly, his gaze holding hers and his voice addressing her specifically, “this is eyes-only.  And right now, you’re not on that list, N-7 status or not.  If and when that changes, well … you will be the first to know.  I’ll see to that.  But for now ….”

Sighing, Gillian nodded, accepting his assurances.  What else could she do?

Rising to his feet, Anderson collected the folders and returned them to his attache.  “It’s late,” he announced, “and we leave first thing in the morning.”  He glanced at the lieutenant who nodded his understanding and rose to his feet.  Anderson turned towards Gillian.  “We’ll discuss more of this,” he lifted the attache in his hand, “over the coming weeks.  For now, get some rest.”

Again, Gillian sighed and nodded, but she walked over to give him a warm hug before he turned to leave.  He might be her superior officer and now, her commanding officer, but he was still a family friend she’d known her entire life.  A ‘favorite uncle,’ so to speak.  “Right,” she replied.  “When and where do we meet up with you?”

“First train out from London,” he told her.  Anderson chuckled as he saw her wince.  “Now, Gill,” he teased, “I thought you were a morning person?”

Gillian glared at him.  She knew he was pulling her leg, but she also wasn’t afraid to let him know she knew.  There were benefits to an outside association with her boss, she supposed.  “Careful, Anderson,” she taunted back.  “Those are fighting words.”

As Anderson and Alenko both left the room together, Gillian remained.  Her brother and father would likely still be out there, waiting to make their own goodbyes to Anderson, so she wasn’t overly concerned with showing them out.  Soft steps behind her alerted Gillian that Ashley was still there, though.  “You ready for this?” she asked her friend, mild and understated challenge issued.

Ashley grinned.  “Are you kidding me?” she echoed.  “Hell yeah!”  She walked over to stand beside Gillian, arms folded across her chest.  “It’s about time I get a chance to prove myself to the brass, don’t you think?”

Gillian found it difficult to not smile at her friend’s enthusiasm.  Ashley had been put in a tough position, true enough.  The chance to fight past the family name and make her own way was one thing that Gillian had appreciated from the very beginning of their friendship.  “Hell yeah,” Gillian echoed, smirk tilting at her lips.  Then another sigh followed quickly by a groan.  “It’s late.”

Ashley shrugged.  “So?”

“We still have to pack.”  

Ashley laughed aloud.  “Well, get a move on, _commander_ ,” she teased, poking at Gillian’s arms with her hands in a way that was similar to a shepherd moving a flock of sheep.  “‘No rest for the wicked,’ as they say!”

“You know I hate packing,” Gillian groused, but she didn’t stop Ash from moving her out of the study and into the hall, towards the stairs.  “Ouch!” she hissed as they neared the foyer and began the turn to head up and Ashley’s finger managed to poke into her ribcage.  She still had a bruise there, too.  

“Oh, don’t be such a baby!” Ash countered.  “Besides, if I have to I have a bottle of -”

Gillian’s attention left her friend as they turned, eyes moving towards the doorway just in time to catch those of the lieutenant who had turned back as he exited.  Ignoring Ashley, her father and her brother for a moment, Gillian focused on the lieutenant.  In that moment, she felt almost like a fly trapped in a spider’s web - unable to move or breathe as their eyes connected.  

But then they both blinked and the spell was broken and Gillian felt another finger manage to find her ribcage.  “Dammit, Ash!” she yelped, jumping to the side, hands wrapping around her midsection to protect herself.  In the brief instant before their eye contact broke, Gillian thought she saw a smile tilt at the corner of his lips, the hint of laughter twinkling in his eyes.  And then it was gone as the door closed.  Only then did Gillian retaliate, turning suddenly on her friend and beginning to tickle her.  As Gillian knew she would, Ashley shrieked (Gillian had found out months ago the woman was frightfully ticklish) and fled up the stairs.  Chuckling, Gillian followed.  They might be about to start off on some new adventure, but things certainly wouldn’t be dull with Ashley around, that was for sure.  

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My most humble apologies for the delay in updating this chapter! All I can say is that I managed to get the first section of the chapter done shortly after beginning to post this story ... and then Gillian's muse took a vacation! However, I have managed to find her and get her to cooperate a bit. I have a couple of chapters ready to go now and another in the works, so hopefully it will be moving at a more frequent posting pace!


	4. Travel Time

_September, 1937, train from London to Inverness, Scotland_

 

The train north took hours to reach their destination, though Gillian could say without a doubt she was thankful for that.  After a late night packing all of her clothing and gear and then assisting Ashley in the same process, the two women had managed only a few hours sleep before rising early to meet the train at the station.  Thankfully, Gillian had arranged with Jamie before bed to have him drive her and Ashley to the station, so they weren’t scrambling at the last minute to get there.  In the end, and in no small part thanks to her brother, they arrived with ten minutes to spare and were waiting when the train came rolling in.

The train was a public passenger train running from London to Inverness, but for their purposes two cars at the rear had been confiscated and designated for their use only.  Anderson stepped off onto the platform to greet them, assisting them with their luggage before guiding them aboard and showing them to their seats.  The train began moving again before they’d taken their seats in the private compartment.  

“We’ve got a long trip ahead of us,” Anderson was saying as Gillian sat, Ashley dropping beside her, “so we might as well take advantage.”  He handed over a small stack of about six files.  “Go through them, both of you.  These are our top candidates to fill that fourth position.  I want you to have a good idea of who these people are before you meet them.”

Gillian saw Ash look up towards Anderson from the corner of her eye.  She was busily reading through the first file.  “They’re not on board?” Ashley asked.

Anderson shook his head.  “They’ve been up there for a week already, going through the ropes, passing initial tests.  We originally had ten, but four didn’t make the cut.  You’ll meet them after we get there.”

Still reading, Gillian took three of the files in her lap and handed them over to Ashley who took them without further comment.  Only then did Gillian glance over at the lieutenant, brow lifting in question.  “I looked through them earlier,” he assured her.  

Gillian was methodical when it came to sorting through personnel files, compiling information, zeroing in on the important parts.  She took her time reading through, making mental notes of questions, comments and concerns to be brought up later, after Ashley had gone through them.  

The compartment they were in was pretty standard in size, though slightly different in arrangement.  Whether it had been by design or request, Gillian didn’t know, but the addition of a small desk in front of the windows at least gave them a place to set the files that were complete.  It also came in handy when tea and sandwiches were provided near midday.  By the time she finished processing the information in the files, Gillian was ready to sit back and just let the soothing motion of the train lull her to sleep.  An elbow to her ribcage stopped that from happening though.  Reacting out of instinct, Gillian curled slightly, scooting away from Ashley enough so that the other woman couldn’t continue abusing her.  

Again, the rocking sway of the train began to send Gillian off to sleep again, and this time no one woke her.

 

* * *

_Munich._

_If she never saw it again in her lifetime, it would be too soon, she thought.  Which was too bad, really, because before this fiasco, it had been a place she’d enjoyed visiting.  The history, the architecture, the music … all did well to draw tourists, even in these darkening times.  Gillian hadn’t given it much thought when she’d discovered it would be her destination this time.  She’d even been able to do a few ‘normal’ things to help reinforce her cover before she was to meet up with her contact._

_But then plans went awry, lines of communication were broken, sources of information were infiltrated.  What should have been a simple mission to pick up information became a nightmare, something altogether different than what it should have been, something more than just dangerous or life and death and desperation._

_Where had it all gone wrong?  Gillian never figured that part out.  Even as she waited on her contact, noticed the German agent, the one who had eyes that seemed to cut through the dark of night, approaching her at the cafe and knew that it was, without a doubt, a trap, she remained and attempted to stay calm, fighting for normalcy.  She knew the dangers inherent in the business.  Had she not been in similar situations before and managed to escape?  But this … this time it had been … more._

_Only at the last moment, as the agent drew near and she saw the cold metal barrel of the pistol in his gloved hand did Gillian react.  It was a good thing she did, too.  A half second later and she would have been dead.  As it was, the shot aimed for her heart grazed the muscle of her upper arm, tearing flesh away and allowing blood to flow, but leaving her still capable of flight._

_And she did just that.  Fleeing for her life.  There had been one contact in the city still loyal, able to assist her in her escape.  The transplant from Switzerland.  While he had driven the car out of town, his companion had done what she could to bandage Gillian’s wound.  By the time they reached a safe distance and the train station there, Gillian was managing to stumble to her feet again.  She slipped once, balance thrown off at the last moment, and she landed hard against the back end of the vehicle, bruising her ribcage, but he steadied her, offering her his arm to get her to the station where he purchased the ticket to get her across the border._

_Within a few hours, she was in Zurich.  She remained there for two days, in hiding still but not so worried about being caught as she had been in Munich.  Rest.  Food.  More rest.  And then a train ticket to Paris, another from Paris to Calais, and then finally, the ferry from Calais to Dover.  All told, travel-wise it took her over a week to return.  There had been breaks, of course.  Jumping off the train just outside of Paris because she recognized the man who had walked by her compartment as the one from Munich.  Hiding out in some farmer’s abandoned barn for two days, surviving on what she could scrounge from the area to eat.  Eventually feeling well enough to walk to the next town and find transportation into Paris itself.  Paris was a city she could get lost in quite easily.  And so she did.  She spent four days and four nights there, wandering, never sleeping in the same place more than once, never contacting friends or other familiar faces who would have helped lest she put them in danger.  On the last day, she snuck into the train station before dawn and boarded the train, putting herself first among the travelers this day._

_The trip from Paris to Calais, Calais to Dover and ultimately back to London was smooth enough.  No more threats, and though she didn’t quite let her guard down until she’d fallen into her own bed that night, Gillian knew that she was safe.  And yet, every time she turned a corner, those eyes, nearly red in color and shining bright through the blackest of night, always seemed to be there …._

 

* * *

Gillian awoke with a start.  Out of instinct, her hand shot out, grasping the one that had latched onto her upper arm, tightening around the wrist there, quickly followed by her eyes popping open.  It didn’t take long for grey to focus on amber, for the truth of the situation to settle, but in that moment Gillian realized he’d learned something about her.  She was not as unaffected by her past as she tried to make it seem.

“Are you alright, commander?  You were murmuring in your sleep.”

Gillian blinked.  “I … I was?” she asked, voice raspy with remembered sleep  Oh, _that_ wasn’t a good sign.  Not at all.  So much of her career depended upon secrecy, just how much secrecy would there be if she was talking in her sleep now?

“It was unintelligible,” the lieutenant assured her with a smile as if he could read her mind and understand her concerns.  “Just mumbling.  The only thing obvious was the sense of distress you were experiencing.”

Gillian sighed in relief and straightened.  Only then did she realize two things.  First, she still had a tight grasp on the lieutenant’s wrist.  Feeling heat creep onto her cheeks, Gillian released him.  “Sorry.”

But he was kind enough about the incident.  “Not a problem,” he assured her, though she did see him rub lightly at his wrist afterwards.  

It was then that she noticed the second thing: someone had placed a lightweight blanket around her while she slept.  Blinking back surprise, Gillian touched it almost gingerly, poking and prodding at it as if it was some strange creature.  She heard a soft chuckle and glanced over at him.  “Your doing?” she asked.

He nodded once.  “You were shivering,” he explained while taking a seat across from her.  

Gillian rubbed at her eyes before she folded the blanket and set it aside.  “Thank you.”  Though she hadn’t been cold as far as she could recall, she supposed she had probably shivered during some of the more intense parts of her dream.  Or were they memories?  Either way, she was grateful for his attention.  Rolling her shoulders, turning her head and neck, and stretching the sleep out of her system, Gillian glanced over at him.  “Where’s Anderson?  And Ash?”

He nodded in the direction of the last train car behind them.  “Talking with some of the others,” he explained.  “They’ll be back soon they said.”

Gillian raised a hand to cover the yawn that snuck up on her just then.  “Did I miss anything?” she asked next.  A quick glance over at the table assured her all the files were still there.  Probably why the lieutenant was still in the compartment with her.  Someone awake and could keep an eye on things.  

She saw his lips tilt in amusement.  “Not a thing,” he replied, though she suspected he was hiding something.  Oh well, she’d ask Ash later.

Rising, Gillian stretched her arms over her head briefly before lowering them again.  “I don’t suppose there’s any tea around?”  The lieutenant groaned, startling Gillian.  Blinking back confusion, she asked, “Did I say something wrong?”

When he glanced back at her, Gillian saw his cheeks were a bit pinker than they had been before.  “No,” he assured her as he moved to his own feet.  “Nothing like that.”  When her brow raised in question, he added, “It’s just … Williams talked me into a bet.”

Gillian groaned, hand rising to pinch at the bridge of her nose.  She’d seen this before.  “Let me guess,” she began.  “She bet you …”  She gave him another inquiring look.

“Five quid,” he supplied.

Gillian winced.  “Five quid … damn, she’s greedy.  Anyway, five quid that the first thing I’d ask for is a cup of tea?”

She watched his face, amused to see it shift from shock and surprise into something near awe by the end of her question.  “Something along those lines, yes,” he agreed.

Sighing, Gillian reached for her bag, fishing out the lost amount from her wallet.  Handing it towards him, she placed it in the palm of his hand and closed hers over it to make certain he didn’t push it back to her.  “Pay up,” she told him quietly.  “Don’t let her know you’re onto her now.   _But_ ,” she added with emphasis, leaning in towards him, close enough so that he could hear her whisper, “don’t worry.  We’ll get her back when she least suspects it.”

“Ma’am?” he managed after a few moments, his face showing signs of shock and surprise again.

Gillian laughed and pulled back a step.  Perhaps she’d moved in too closely.  Shaking her head, she replied, “Ash has done this before.  Different times, different ways, different angles, but she never bets unless she’s sure she’ll win.”  Gillian shrugged.  “She knows me too well, lieutenant.  But the same could be said in reverse.  If you’re willing to try, I think we’ll be able to find a way to retaliate.”

Gillian felt the warmth from his chuckle flow through her just then.  The warmth of his smile, she noted, made her insides jump a bit as well.  “I think … I’d like that, ma’am.”

“Good.”  Then, backing up another step, she asked again, “So, about that tea?”

His smile widened.  “I’ll get you some.  Be right back.”

“Thanks,” she told him.  “Oh, and lieutenant?”  She watched him turn back around to face her in the doorway to the compartment.  “When we’re not on formal duty, it’s Gillian, ok?  Or Gill.”

She watched his smile widen just a bit.  “As you wish, Gillian,” he promised.  He was gone before she could say another word.

Within minutes, though, he was back with a cup of strong, hot tea, sweetened just enough (had that been Anderson’s input, she wondered, or Ash’s?) and with cream.  Having retrieved the folders once again from the desk, Gillian was in the process of reviewing them one last time with fresh eyes when he entered the compartment.  With barely a glance towards the desk, she reached for it as he set it there, their hands brushing lightly against one another in passing.  That caused her head to lift more.  “Thanks,” she murmured as she brought the mug to her lips, her eyes locked onto his.  

“You’re very welcome.”  He took  the seat across from her.

Breaking her gaze away from his, Gillian nodded at the stack of files in her lap.  “You said you looked through them before, lieutenant?”

He nodded.  But before she could continue her line of questioning, he added, “If I may, ma’am?”

Gillian’s eyes widened just a bit.  He’d done it again.  But there was something she could see behind his eyes, so she only replied, “Speak freely, lieutenant.”

“If you wish me to call you by your name,” he told her, gesturing towards her with the mug he held, “then I think it only fair you do the same.”

“That I ….”  Gillian groaned, a sheepish grin mixing with a blush on her cheeks.  “Oh dear,” she murmured.  Straightening in her seat, she offered him an apologetic look.  “Sorry.  Old habit I guess.  I’ll try to do better in future, lieuten -”  His eyes flared with a look that bordered on sassy, and Gillian chuckled.  “Kaidan, wasn’t it?”

His grin widened and he nodded.  “That is all I ask, Gillian,” he returned.  He then tilted his cup towards hers.  “Cheers.”

Laughing, Gillian did the same, echoing his toast.  Setting her cup aside afterwards, she turned her attention back to the files once more.  “So, you said you’d gone through these?”  He nodded.  “Any thoughts or observations?”

Their discussion took them across the miles as the train rolled through the English countryside.  Taking each candidate individually, Gillian listened to his comments, offered her own and between the two of them, sorted them into a semi-official list of order of preference.  Gillian explained to him that, of course, Ashley’s input would be vital, going into only a brief explanation in that regard, but assured him that since they would be the core group of this new project, she valued his input and feedback.  During their conversations, Kaidan moved to sit beside her, running through one particular candidate’s information piece by piece, and they were still seated beside one another, though the topic had long since changed, when both Anderson and Ashley returned.  

“Well, well,” Ashley murmured as she entered the compartment.  “Looks a bit cozy in here, doesn’t it?”

Rolling her eyes, Gillian rose to her feet, pushing the stack of files into her friend’s arms.  “Those are in order,” she told her.  “Let me know later what you think.”

Ashley chuckled.  “Yes, ma’am, Gillian, ma’am!” she countered with a quick, mock salute.

Gillian ignored Ash’s antics and turned towards Anderson.  “Please tell me there’s a dining car on this train?” she begged.

He laughed.  “Of course,” he assured her.  Turning towards Ashley, he added, “We should have the car all to ourselves at this hour.  Chief, why don’t you bring those with you and we can all go over them together now that the commander is awake.”

“Don’t you go blaming me for that,” Gillian protested as she walked by him, a flash of amusement flaring in her grey eyes.  “Besides, you still need to debrief me on Munich.”

He nodded.  “We’ll do that at dinner,” he promised.  When Gillian gave him a quick look, nodding towards Kaidan and Ashley, his smile remained in place.  “They need to know what they’ll be up against,” he reminded her.

Gillian sighed.   _Welcome to the real world._  “True enough.”

 

* * *

 

“Did you recognize him at all?” Anderson asked, pen in hand, tablet beside him as he took notes on Gillian’s description of events.  She’d gone over the mission, beginning to end three times now and save for a few details on this one, new person, they had covered everything else in detail.

Gillian shook her head as she sipped her tea.  “That’s the thing … he looked somewhat familiar … like I’ve seen him before somewhere?  But damned if I can think of where.”  She sighed, eyes dropping to stare at her hands a long moment.  Even weeks removed from the incident, it still had the ability to make her hands tremble at the recollections.  Another sigh and she dropped them into her lap, tea forgotten.  “I just … David, I’m sorry I couldn’t get the information.”

Anderson shook his head.  “Don’t be.  Gill, I was with Hackett when the news came in.  We both witnessed the brass’ reaction first hand.  The fault was not yours, but a betrayal elsewhere in the system.  Don’t take it to heart.  Alliance brass knows that.  We’ll find another way to get it.”

Gillian sighed and nodded, glancing out the window as they wound their way through the Scottish Highlands.  They still had the better part of two hours before their arrival at Inverness and then a long ride by car up into the mountains before they arrived at the camp they would be using for training.  But she couldn’t argue about the scenery outside.  It was breathtaking, even with the sun beginning to set for the day.  And in its own way, it did help offer some peace of mind about that last mission.

On the way back to their compartment, Gillian trailed behind the others, pausing for a long moment in the hall between the entrance to the car and the compartment simply to stare out the window.  There wasn’t much to see, the sun now firmly settling behind the rise of the hills along the horizon, but Gillian paused nonetheless.  There was a calm to be found in the simple beauty out there.  Fields of heather, their color barely discernible against the darker backdrop of the hills; rivers and streams that flowed with gentle abandon, guided by nature’s hand; lush copses of forests edged by stone walls and fencing to separate from the fields, occasionally broken by groupings of houses for small villages to claim purchase in a more wild and unforgiving land.  It made for a completely different world this far north.  Gillian had traveled this way before, once in her youth before her mother passed, and still had fond memories of the time spent here.  

“Everything okay?”

The smooth baritone slipped past her thoughts and Gillian felt herself smiling, a reaction she could see in her reflection in the glass of the window.  Eyes shifting focus, she could see his face there too.  “Just … thinking,” she replied, his eyes meeting hers in the glass.  His brow lifted in question and she found herself smiling.  “Remembering, actually.  It’s been a long time since I’ve come this far north.”

He stepped up beside her, taking a moment to survey the view for himself.  Turning to face her, he met her gaze and admitted, “It is a lovely view.”

It took a half second for the dual meaning of his words to settle upon her, and as they did and she felt her cheeks heat up a bit with a flush, she saw that he was doing the same.  “I … um, that is to say … erm … sorry.  Ma’am.”

Gillian chuckled, but she did not look away.  “Those are nice sentiments, lieutenant,” she replied, offering a friendly smile even though her cheeks still remained pink, “and appreciated, but we are here to do a job, remember?”

He nodded immediately.  “Yes, ma’am,” he assured her.  

Gillian took one last, lingering look out of the window before she turned back towards him.  In the distance, she noted the increase in lighting.  They were getting close.  “Alright, let’s go join the others.  We’ll be arriving soon.”  So saying, Gillian stepped in front of Kaidan as he gestured her to move on ahead, leading the way to their compartment.  

 


	5. Welcome to Normandy

_1937, northern Scotland_

 

When dawn broke the next morning, Gillian was already up and moving.  She and Ashley had been assigned a room to share down one hall of the second floor. Kaidan was billeted down a different hall in the same building with the other male officers on site.  The officer’s mess was on the ground floor, along with some staff offices and undesignated rooms.  As was her usual after a day or more’s worth of travel, Gillian rose early and prepared for the day ahead with a run.  This wasn’t solely for keeping in physical shape, but rather a routine she used to stretch out the inevitable kinks and stiffness associated with the stresses of traveling as well as to clear her mind.  Anderson had told her of a well used path nearby, and so she’d risen with the sun, dressed for the cooler weather and set out.  By the time she’d returned, bathed and changed, the others were gathering in the mess hall where she joined them.

Thus began a daily routine for the current members of the Normandy group.  Mornings would begin with a run, followed by various areas of training.  Obstacle courses, weaponry, strategy and tactics.  Everything and anything necessary for their training was brought in for their use.  Additional training was also provided for those areas requiring more than just a refresher course.  A weapons range was set up for them to practice on with a variety of different options.  But by far and large the area they worked most and hardest at was hand-to-hand combat.  

With the base used for various training groups, it wasn’t difficult to find a group of recruits eager enough to practice with at any given time.  With each of the three of them coming from different training backgrounds, it also gave them opportunity to view the different skills and methods they were bringing to the table.  Gillian was fairly familiar with Ashley’s abilities given their previous association, but seeing Kaidan in action provided the commander with some new insights.  Then, of course, there was the afternoon that Anderson decided to join them, facing off opposite Gillian, of course, and the N7 program was quite suddenly and most definitely put on display.  

Overall though, the training was going very well, even according to Anderson, so it came as quite a surprise when, during an afternoon session where Gillian and Kaidan were sparring with one another, that things rose to an altogether different level.  It all began with a misplaced kick.

Gillian knew the moment her foot landed that she’d connected too well.  Kaidan doubled over and simultaneously grunted, a noise that had more than a hint of pain behind it.  Reacting more out of concern than with any intention of continuing their spar, she straightened and took a quick step towards him.  “Kaidan!  Are you -”

She didn’t have a chance to finish.  As her hand moved to rest on his shoulder, she crouched down to one knee and prepared to launch a string of heartfelt apologies … but was cut off by a roar befitting a lion or tiger declaring its right to their prey after the kill as Kaidan straightened, waves of bright, blue-tinted energy flaring out from his hands, encompassing his entire body before they caught her up in it, lifting her off her feet, and throwing her a goodly distance away.

Gillian groaned as she landed hard and on her bad arm then rolled three times before coming to a halt.  Breathing was a struggle for a long moment before she rose to her hands and knees.  Dazed, somewhat confused, she lifted her head to glance across the practice yard at Kaidan … and it was then that she saw the others moving in.  Quickly and with purpose.  A couple of military police, the sergeant on duty, several of the recruits with whom they’d been sparring … all had weapons drawn and were converging on Kaidan who now maintained a defensive posture, ready and waiting it seemed for their advance.  Even Ashley’s eyes were narrowing, though she did not appear to be joining in on what was sure to become a fracas if Gillian did not take control of the situation and soon.

“Stop!” she called out as loudly as she could, struggling to her feet before stumbling forward.  But one of the CMPs reached out, catching Kaidan’s shoulder, and Gillian felt her own anger peaking.  “That’s an order, soldier!” she added, this time with more venom as she gained control of her limbs and moved as quickly as she could towards him.  “All of you, stand down.  NOW!” she told the rest while catching Ashley’s eye and nodding.  At that point, the chief moved in to direct people away from them.

“But, ma’am -” one of the Red Caps protested, pistol still drawn and aimed towards Kaidan.

Gillian moved without thinking, pure instinct mixing with anger as she did.  Reaching out, she grabbed the soldier by his wrist, brought her knee up, knocking the pistol free from his hand, then turned and flipped him over his shoulder.  Kneeling down beside him, she placed a good portion of her weight upon the knee resting across his chest.  “When I give an order, soldier, I expect it to be carried out without question!  Is that understood?” she huffed as she leaned over him, anger flaring.

“Y-yes, ma’am!” he croaked.

“That’s COMMANDER to you, soldier,” she concluded.

He moved quickly when she finally backed off, grabbing his pistol, holstering it and then retreating to his previous position with his companion.  

The moment he began to move, though, Gillian’s attention returned fully to her lieutenant.  Turning, she found him crouched down on one knee, hunched over, head hanging low.  Kneeling beside him, he offered no resistance this time as she raised a hand to his shoulder.  “Kaidan …?”

His breathing was heavy and labored, the harsh sounds and rattling lungs concerning Gillian more than anything else at the moment.   “Commander ….”

She could hear so much in just that one word.  Pain.  Anguish.  Distress.  Guilt.  Moving in closer, she eased her shoulder beneath his arm, murmuring quietly to him the entire time lest he find the need to react on impulse once again.  “It’s okay, Kaidan,” she told him.  Sliding an arm around his back, waist level, she moved her head in close enough that only he could hear her.  “I understand.”

His head shook, she felt a tremble in his shoulders and realized then that his distress was more than was warranted for their current situation.  “No,” he rasped tightly.  “You don’t.  You couldn’t possibly understand ….”

Turning slightly, more face-to-face, Gillian lifted her other hand to touch his cheek.  A gesture solely meant to get his attention, to convince him to look up at her.  It worked.  Their eyes met, and sure enough she recognized that look hidden in the depths of his amber gaze.  Pulling her hand from his cheek to hold suspended between them, she insisted gently, “But I do,” and proceeded to allow her own hand to flare.  Eyes upon his, she noted the exact moment he realized the message she was sending him.  His eyes dropped, a look of incredulity crossing his face as he stared at her hand before they lifted back to hers.  

“Y-you … you’re a …?”

Gillian leaned forward, allowing her forehead to touch his lightly.  “Yes,” she replied as his hand came up to wrap around hers, and for the briefest of moments, the blue tinge brightened ever so slightly.  Sighing, she leaned into his shoulder just a bit more, felt his other arm tighten around her.  “1918,” she explained.  “Spanish influenza epidemic over in the States.  The one my mother died from.  I took severely ill as well.  For whatever reason, I survived.”

His arm spasmed around her shoulders briefly, tightening just a bit.  Sympathy?  Most likely.  “1911,” he murmured.  “Cholera.  We were returning from Italy where my father had served.”  He sighed softly, lowering the hand that had been around hers.  “I wasn’t even two years old yet.”

This time it was Gillian who shuddered.  So young … and to have survived!  The low numbers were a huge part of the reason that people who exhibited signs of biotic powers were looked down upon, mistrusted, shunted to the corners of society.  The fact that they still did not know how exactly it worked only added to that fear and confusion.  The going theory, the one commonality that all biotics seemed to present was that they had survived some sort of epidemic.  But then again, not all survivors became biotics.  Scientists were beginning to lean towards a theory of genetic predisposition plus the survival of an epidemic, but this was a relatively new idea and one that required much more research before any conclusions could be drawn.  Then again, that unknown factor was in large part why so many biotics tended to keep their abilities hidden from mainstream society.  Even in the military, there was a great deal of suspicion around them, though it was tolerated there more than in any other area of society.  Even for Gillian, it hadn’t been until she’d gone through her N7 training that her biotic abilities had been viewed as more of an asset than a curse.

Slowly, Gillian began rising to her feet.  Kaidan moved along with her, arm still around her shoulder.  Both were stiff and sore, both would be moving slowly for a short while.  But both now realized that there was yet another bond between them, one that made them both part of the same elite group.  As they broke apart, preparing to return to their billets separately, a new acceptance settled between them.  One that only enhanced the already strong relationship of trust that had begun building from day one, giving them an added sense of hope for success of this project.

 

* * *

 

“Okay,” Ashley demanded as she and Gillian descended the stairs side by side, “are you going to tell me what is going on?  Where are we going?”

Gillian tossed her friend a quick grin.  “It’s a surprise,” was all she would say as she jumped the last two steps to the floor below.  

“Gill, you know I hate surprises!” Ashley groused.

Gillian chuckled.  For the first time in weeks, since well before she’d agreed to Anderson’s request she join the Normandy project, she was feeling pretty good.  The day had been spent as usual - a run, small arms training, obstacle course work, time with Ashley and Kaidan working on tactical simulations, then part of the afternoon observing the trainees for the fourth position before a follow up psych eval with Dr. Chakwas.  The latter had been at Anderson’s request, one last evaluation to prove to Alliance brass she was good to go after Munich.  But it had been the last part of the day that had been quite enlightening; when they’d joined up with one of the new groups that had come in during the past couple of days and was using the same facilities to work on hand to hand combat.   _That_ had been both a refresher and a refreshing experience for her, and she’d certainly identified a few N school potential recruits in the process.  The session had also brought back memories of her N7 training course and with it recollections of the flow and ease of skill and movement, the grace and poise necessary to land a blow with the hand, the haft of a gun or even her battlefield knife.  

It had almost been like dancing … and Gillian loved to dance.  Occasionally.  Thing was, she couldn’t with most people.  God knew she’d tried over the years, but it just … it never seemed to happen properly unless it was with a person she trusted absolutely.  This had led to many an awkward moment over time, and a few somewhat comical instances, some which Ashley was quite familiar with, but so far in her life she’d found only two people in the world with whom she felt completely comfortable dancing.  That was why she’d usually hesitate when the subject came up.  On the dance floor, she hesitated, but get her out onto the battlefield with a knife and gun in hand …

Gillian shoved her arm through the sleeve of her jacket as she headed towards the exit.  “Hustle your bustle, Williams!” she called back, quickening her pace just a bit more.  The opportunities for her to get a step up on Ashley were few and far between … but Gillian would take each one and savor it.

“Dammit, Gill!”  

Gillian chuckled again as she yanked the door open and stepped outside.  The sun was beginning to set behind the hills, but that didn’t matter.  Their destination wasn’t far, certainly it was within walking distance.  Gillian had just moved outside of the building when she heard soft steps to her right.  A quick glance reassured her and she nodded and smiled.  “Kaidan,” she greeted him with a smile.  “You ready for this?”

One of his brows lifted in question.  “Is there some reason I shouldn’t be?” he countered.

Before she could answer, her attention was pulled back behind her as the door was yanked from her hand.  Turning, Ashley stumbled out of the doorway to Gillian’s other side.  “Damn!” she hissed.  “Why do you always do that?”

Gillian grinned.  “Because I can,” she replied easily.  Straightening then, she looped one arm through each of her companions’ and started walking with purpose.  “So then, here’s the deal ….”

As they walked across the green outside of the lodge, she continued in a semi-conspiratorial tone, “We’re headed for the officer’s club.  Inside, we’ll find the six Normandy recruits, probably a few other stragglers from some of the other units training here, maybe even Anderson and Chakwas, though their presence isn’t absolutely guaranteed.”

“You mean,” Ashley asked, “this is a set up?”

“Sounds more like an initiation,” Kaidan countered.

Gillian grinned.  “It is … sort of.  Wasn’t my idea,” she assured them, “but Anderson suggested we get to know the recruits ‘off the clock,’ so to speak.  He figured that if we’re going to be working together as a team, we’d need to know their personalities when they’re battle ready and when they’re not, how they’ll react in non-combat situations, that sort of thing.  He says our input will be taken into consideration when the final decision is made.”  She gave each of them a more serious look.  “That our input will be the _definitive_ one.  Anderson’s already met with them, so he can’t do this, so it’s up to us.  Our … first assignment as a cohesive unit, if you will.”

“Sounds easy enough,” Ashley replied, arm tightening around her friend’s.

Gillian chuckled softly.  “Only because you’re used to evaluating people,” she countered.

“So, what exactly is the plan, then?” Kaidan asked.  

Gillian glanced over at him to find his eyes narrowing in concentration.  She couldn’t help but smile at that.  One thing she’d noticed about him from the beginning was that he seemed to have a great sense of focus when it came to an issue at hand.  Something she had no doubt would come in handy out in the field, but for something like this ….  “Relax, lieutenant,” she told him, leaning slightly against his side as they walked.  “This is just an evening out.  Down time.  Comrades taking time out from a grueling schedule to have a good time.”

Ashley snorted in mild amusement.  She knew what that meant.  “No plan then, huh?” she asked.

Gillian shook her head.  “Nope.  No plan.  Play it by ear.  Fly by the seat of our pants.”

“In other words,” Kaidan countered after a moment, “a test for us as well.”

Gillian flashed him a grin.  “Exactly.  And you just passed step one.”  Turning to face forward, she started marching them towards the drinking establishment at a slightly quicker pace.  “I don’t know about you two,” she told them, “but I sure could use a drink!”

Kaidan held the door open for the women, following inside after them, but it was Ashley who led the way to the bar.  “I’d say you owe me a beer after today, Skipper,” she announced as she came to a halt and nodded at the bartender.  

Gillian chuckled.  “Is that so?” she countered as she raised her hand to show two fingers.  Turning towards Kaidan, she lifted a brow in question.  When he nodded, she added a third finger.  The bartender nodded in understanding and began working the tap.  Within minutes, the three had drinks and were turning around to face the room.  “So,” Gillian began, taking a careful sip from her pint while nodding towards the partially filled room, “where shall we sit?”

They took a table near the dartboard, a booth against the wall that allowed them to see the room in its entirety as well as be within steps of the bar so they could easily obtain refills.  The room itself had a large open area, obviously meant for things such as dancing … and possibly more rambunctious activities depending on the level of drink that had been supplied, Gillian thought.  In the background, music could be heard coming from a wireless set up at the bar.  On the far side was a snooker table at which two of their current recruits appeared to be playing.  Two more were chatting up one of the serving girls with the other two were seated at a table nearby.  

There were other patrons in the bar as well.  Most were dressed, like Gillian and her crew, in casual clothing.  A few were kitted in more casual uniforms.  There appeared to be several civilians as well, though Gillian suspected they might be members of the staff from the lodge as the nearest town was still quite a distance away from this particular location.  So far, Gillian saw no sign of Anderson or Chakwas, but it was early yet, so she didn’t count them out.  

“So, Skipper,” Ashley murmured as she sat across the table from Gillian and Kaidan, “now what?”

Gillian took a long, slow pull of her drink, her eyes scanning the room again after she did so.  “Well, for now I’d say we take a minute to relax ourselves.  Then you can take the two playing snooker, Kaidan can intercede and rescue the poor serving girl over there and I’ll chat up the two seated at the table.”  She nodded with her head in the direction of the table.  Gillian glanced down at her glass, a bit surprised to see how quickly it had emptied.  Belatedly, she added, “But maybe I’ll get another first.”

Ashley snickered.  “Isn’t that what you said the _last_ time we -”

Gillian pursed her lips and gave Ashley a hard look.  “Can it, Williams,” she muttered as Kaidan rose to let her out of the booth.  “Besides, we both know the fault that night wasn’t mine.”

As Gillian spun away and returned to the bar, Kaidan turned towards Ashley.  “Something I need to know about, Chief?” he asked mildly.

Ashley chuckled.  “Nah.  I just like giving her a hard time,” came the quick reply and a broad wink.  “She’s used to it.”

Kaidan glanced in the direction of the bar.  Gillian’s calm and laid back demeanor seemed to back up Ashley’s claim.  “You two certainly seem … close,” he managed after a moment.

Ashley began chortling, the flat of her hand banging on the tabletop.  “Oh, come _on_ , LT!” she teased.  When he blinked at her in slight embarrassment mixed with confusion, she leaned forward and told him earnestly, “Look, you’ve got no worries in that regard if you’re interested in her.  Gill’s like a sister to me, okay?  I’ve got three of them back home - easy for me to relate to, you know?  Plus, I’ve seen her in action, or at least as far as running N7 recruits through their paces goes.  I’ve got nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for her professionally.  But beyond that …?”

Kaidan had a sort of half glazed look in his eyes mixed with outright horror at the implications of her response.  “I wasn’t …,” he stammered, “I mean, I didn’t … I …. That’s not what I meant!”

It was his last protest that had Ashley giggling uncontrollably.  Flashing him a grin, she suggested, “LT, looks like you could use something a bit stronger than the ale.  Why not go get yourself a scotch or something?  I’ll man the fort.”

Gillian was just returning to the table when Kaidan bolted to his feet.  In the process, he nearly knocked both her _and_ her drink over.  “Sorry!” he managed before moving away as quickly as his legs would take him.  

Gillian turned to watch him in confusion, but as she glanced back and noted the contented smirk on Ashley’s face comprehension began to dawn.  “Chief,” she murmured as she slid into her seat, “what just happened?”

“Oh, nothing,” Ashley assured her.  “Just … setting things right.”

Gillian’s eyebrow lifted.  “Right?  How were they wrong in the first place?”  She cast a quick look back after Kaidan again and noted that he seemed to be almost … reluctant to return to their table?  It wasn’t in a look he gave or anything he said so far as she could tell, but there was a hesitation there now that hadn’t been present earlier and it had her more than a bit concerned.  Turning back towards Ashley, she demanded, “Just what did you say to him?”

Ashley just waved it off.  “Gill, seriously.  He’s just a little embarrassed is all.  He’ll live.”

Gillian was adamant.  “But why is he embarrassed?  What did you say to him?”

Ashley sighed.  “He said something and I took it to mean something else,” she explained.  “Entirely on purpose, of course.”

Gillian groaned and covered her face for a moment with her hands.  “I should have known better than to leave you alone with him,” she muttered.

Ashley grinned.  “Why not?  We’re supposed to get to know one another, right?  Learn to work together as a team?”

“You didn’t humiliate him, did you?” Gillian asked.  “And yeah, but the key word there is _together_ , not against one another.”

“I didn’t humiliate him,” Ashley assured her.  “Just … nudged him in the right direction a little bit.  That’s all.  I swear, Gill.”

Gillian downed nearly half her pint in one swallow then before uttering, “‘Right direction?’” Gillian echoed.  “Why don’t I find that reassuring at all?”  Ashley’s easy chuckling only reinforced that sentiment.

The sound of the door opening caught Gillian’s attention and she glanced over to see Anderson arriving.  True to his word, he had Dr. Karin Chakwas with him as he entered ... as well as one other.  Internally, Gillian groaned, recognizing the man.  They might be dressed down, out of uniform and all, but she knew him well enough.  Outside of the Alliance, he was a dear family friend.  “Shit,” she muttered as she turned and halved her drink yet again.

“Problem?”

Gillian glanced up as Kaidan took a seat beside her once again.  Whatever his earlier ‘condition’ had been, he seemed to have recovered for the moment, though the sight of him with a glass of scotch had her even more concerned about what Ashley might have said to him to provoke such a response.  “No, not really,” she replied, voice slightly tight.  Anderson hadn’t warned her that Hackett would be showing up.  If that was the case, he likely didn’t want it broadcast all over just yet, so she was determined to keep it quiet.  For now, at least.  

As Kaidan slid into the seat beside her, Gillian felt the gentlest nudge of his elbow against her arm.  She glanced up at him, saw him nod in the direction of Anderson and his group and gave her a questioning look.  Gillian managed a small nod of acknowledgement.  So he saw them too.  She didn’t know if he knew Hackett or not, but he was smart enough to realize that if Anderson was here with others, then there was probably a point to it.  Just as there was a point to their visit.  Which they should probably get underway with.  

“Hey, I know,” Ashley told them with a grin as the music on the wireless changed to something more upbeat.  “How about this for a change of plan.  LT, why don’t you and Gill go dance?  Get that pair,” she nodded towards the two who were still chatting up the poor serving girl, “interested in something other than the help.”

“And what is that supposed to prove?” Kaidan asked.  He glanced down at Gillian, noticing for the first time that she’d gone a bit pale, her whole body now rigid beside him.  She also appeared to be refusing to meet his look.

“We need to see them in down time, right?” Ashley countered.  “Relaxing, off duty, that sort of thing.  Start with them, and maybe you’ll even pull in the two sitting at the table ...”

“No.”  Both Ashley and Kaidan turned towards Gillian.  She’d forced the word out, barely.  Inside, she felt as cold as Tut’s Tomb.  “Absolutely not.”

Ashley took it in stride.  Sighing and rolling her eyes, she countered, “Why not?  Gill, you know damn well they’ll want to cut in, and you can -”

Gillian’s hands formed fists at her sides, below the edge of the table, but a heartbeat later, she felt the warmth of a hand covering hers.  Blinking, she glanced over to see Kaidan’s hand, gentle and reassuring, covering her own.  It was enough to take the edge off her panic, at least.  Taking a deep breath, Gillian finally met Ashley’s eyes.  “The last time you tried something like this, it devolved into a bar fight, as I recall.”

Ashley snorted, clearly amused.  “Yeah.  That was kind of fun, wasn’t it?” she returned glibly.  Leaning forward, she added, “You can’t convince me that wasn’t the best damn night of your life, Gill!”

But Gillian shook her head.  “Not again.”

“Look, you know as well as I do we need to see how they react to each other.  Right now, we’ve only got a few people in here.  Should be a piece of cake, right?” Ashley countered.  “We all know we need to weed out anyone who might, under the influence or not, go into situations hot headed.  This is the ultimate test!”

“Chief, why don’t you go on over and start talking to the two at the snooker table?” Kaidan interrupted.  The hard look he gave her indicated it was more than just a suggestion.

Sighing heavily and over dramatically, Ashley scooted out of the booth and moved to her feet.  “Fine, fine,” she muttered.  “But I’m getting a refill and it’s on your tab, Gill!”

With her friend’s departure, Gillian slowly felt the panic begin to subside.  Perhaps she’d overreacted, she didn’t know for certain, but the mention of that incident back at Fort Lewis several years before ….

“Gill,” Kaidan murmured, leaning over so only she could hear him, “relax.”  

Gillian met his eyes before dropping to see his hand patting her still balled up fist.  It was a reminder that she was still as tense as a bow string.  Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to release her grip, hand loosening beneath his.  Even then, though, he didn’t pull away immediately.  “Thanks,” she replied.  Then with a small smirk, she looked  back up at him.  “What would I do without you?”

Kaidan chuckled.  “That’s what I’m here for, right?” he teased.  “To remind you of the simple things?”

The amusement in his eyes pulled her in like a flame drew moths.  She had no way to counter it, but at least it had her relaxing even more.  Smiling, she managed a soft chuckle.  “Certainly more so than Ash will, that’s for certain,” she mused.  

There was a moment of silence between them then, but it was a comfortable one, and so Gillian glanced around him to see Ashley stepping away from the bar with a new pint and heading towards her destination.  Sighing, Gillian realized that her friend’s idea might well be the best one out there.  It was still enough to make her shiver with dread.

“What is it?”

Kaidan’s voice drew Gillian’s attention back to him.  Downing the last of her pint, she nodded towards Ashley.  “The really sad thing is, she’s right.”

Kaidan frowned.  “About?”

“Getting out there.  Getting those two involved in conversation.”  She nodded at the targeted pair.  The other two were now beginning to show interest in that conversation too.   _Two birds with one stone_ , as the saying went.  “We’re here to evaluate them, are we not?  And damn her, she’s right about weeding out the hot headed ones, too.”  Gillian sighed.  “I shouldn’t let silly little things like … fear of dancing get in the way of the mission objective.”

“Fear of ….”  Kaidan glanced down at her, clearly stunned.  “You can’t be serious!”

Her laughter now had a rueful tone to it.  “I wish I was, LT,” she replied.  “There’ve only been two people I’ve ever been able to dance with in my entire life without making myself end up looking like an inept klutz or worse, and one of them is now standing over at that snooker table.”

It took a moment for her words to fully register, but when they finally did, Kaidan pushed the glass of scotch away from his hands.  He was beginning to think he’d drunk too much and was hearing things.  Just to be certain, he hedged, “You … and Williams?”

Chuckling, Gillian pushed at him to exit the booth.  She followed him out as he did so.  “Yup,” she replied as she stood.  “It wasn’t what you’re thinking though,” she clarified quickly as she noted the shocked look on his face.  With a shrug of her shoulders, she explained, “No one else in the place knew how to dance.  Anyway, as I mentioned earlier it devolved into a bar fight.”  Her smirk strengthened.  “Pretty sure that was her intention in the first place, but she was right.  It was a good one, all things considered.  And yes, it was a situation similar to this.  Just don’t tell Williams I said that, okay?”  

“Why her?” he asked while nodding his quiet reply to her question.  “I mean, I’ve seen you out in the practice yard.  Obstacles, hand-to-hand, whatever it is, you move with grace and skill.”  He gave her a searching look then.  “Why is it her and one other only?”

The question was both simple and complex at the same time.  Sighing, Gillian turned to face him.  “What it all boils down to is trust.”  She looked up and met his gaze.  “Apparently, my trust isn’t given easily to others.  With Ash, well … it was.”  It was difficult for Gillian to find the words to explain.  The only other person she trusted enough to dance with was, after all, her brother.  Someone she’d trusted her entire life.  With Ash, well by the time that incident had occurred, they’d been through quite a bit together.  Taking that next step had been as natural for Gillian as breathing.  “So, feel like giving it a try?” she asked in an attempt to change the topic, sort of.  Finishing the second pint had helped loosen her up a little, she noticed, and if there was anyone else she would need to trust enough on this venture, Kaidan would be it.  Whoever their fourth ended up being, she would worry about building that sort of relationship with later.  “I can’t guarantee your feet will survive unbruised, however.”

With one more perplexed look, Kaidan finally gave in and reached for her hand.  “Alright … but won’t this leave Williams trying to get back at you afterwards?”

Gillian giggled.  “Nah,” she replied.  “It took Ash a good hour to talk me into dancing with her that night, and I’d known her for over a year at that point.  She’s got nothing on you just now.”  When he groaned, she looked up at him.  “What is it?”

Sighing, he gave her a sheepish grin.  “I should have bet her that I could change your mind,” he admitted.  “I might have gotten your five quid back.”

Gillian’s smile widened, reaching the depths of her grey eyes.  “Now you’re getting the hang of it,” she told him.  “Don’t worry about that, though.  We’ll have other opportunities to get back at her later.”

He offered her his hand then and taking it, Gillian followed him out to the open area meant for dancing.  Seeing the pair move out there, the bartender adjusted the wireless to some music more acceptable for dancing.  Gillian, as she moved into place, glanced briefly over at Ashley who caught her eye.  Rather than gloat, however, Gillian saw her friend nod once.  Apparently, she understood that the plans were evolving.  Though Gillian still had her doubts as to whether this was such a good idea in this instance, at least Ashley would know what eventualities she should be prepared for.

For the first couple of songs, Kaidan led Gillian around the floor in simple moves meant to help establish some sort of rhythm between them.  After her earlier admission, he wasn’t surprised when she stumbled here and there, bumping into him a time or two, but at least missing his toes most of the time.  And overall, she was being quite a good sport about it, her self-deprecating sense of humor leaving them both with smiles throughout despite the outcome.  By the end of the third song, though, she seemed have a better feel for being in his arms as he led her across the floor and he felt quite hopeful for her.  “You’re getting better,” he observed as they paused to wait on the next song.

Gillian flashed him a quick grin.  “I have a good teacher,” she replied, and though she had a smirk at her lips, there was sincerity in her tone.  Gillian truly meant the words.  She was finding that dancing with Kaidan was almost as simple as walking on two feet, and coming from her, that was saying something.   

Those thoughts were interrupted, however, as the pair moved quickly past their intended ‘targets’ for the evening.  As they did so, Gillian heard one of them snicker loudly, the first sign that this impromptu plan was achieving something.  Leaning in towards Kaidan, she murmured in a softer tone, “Go with my lead here, okay?”  Without giving him time to respond, she tightened her hand around his as they continued moving around the floor.  

“Whoa!” he breathed a moment later, Gillian crashing roughly into him and nearly tumbling to the floor in the process.  “You alright?”

Gillian straightened with a sigh, but pulled her hand from his to rub at the hip that had bumped into his.  “Yes.  Sorry.  Guess I was having delusions of grandeur earlier.”

Kaidan was about to reply when a new voice entered the discussion.  And new bodies.  Turning Gillian back in his arms for the dance, Kaidan noted that three of the four who had been deep in discussions with the barmaid were now turning their attentions to him and Gillian.  His gut instinct began sending all sorts of alarms out, some of which Gillian must have recognized for what they were because she squeezed his hand in something he interpreted as reassurance.  

Gillian’s back was towards the men as she faced Kaidan so she didn’t see the hand that came to settle on her shoulder, but the voice that coincided with it alerted her that she and Kaidan were no longer alone.  “Or maybe you just didn’t have the right teacher.”  A moment later, she was being spun around sharply to face him.  

“Hey, now!” Kaidan protested.

Gillian glanced up at the man.  She didn’t know him by sight, not really, but she was good at taking grainy photographs and identifying live people by them.  This one was Nichols.  “Sorry, but I was doing fine before,” she announced, turning back towards Kaidan.  Out of the corner of her eye, Gillian saw Ashley keeping her eyes upon the scene even though she continued speaking with the two snooker players who had yet to catch on to the potential disturbance.

“You’d choose a Yank over one of your own?” Nichols asked in bewilderment.

Gillian nearly laughed aloud.  This was going to be his argument? she wondered.  “My own?  I’ll have you know that ‘my own’ is both -”

Kaidan’s eyes narrowed as he took Gillian’s hand in his again and pulled her back beside him.  “I’m Canadian,” he announced in a deceptively mild tone.  

Gillian saw the glint in Nichols’ eyes darken.  Shit.  Just how much had this big lug had to drink this evening? she wondered.  They probably should have consulted with the bartender before going ahead with this plan.  The last time she and Ashley had gone through with this, it had been early enough that the alcohol involved had not been much of a factor in the outcome.  “Now, look,” she said, attempting to intercede, “individual nationalities aside, I think -”

But Nichols wasn’t listening.  ‘Big lug’ wasn’t just an offhand reference to him, size wise.  Stepping forward, he stood about the same height as Kaidan, but  was broader and thicker in the chest and arms.  And Gillian could now see that he was itching for a fight.  This was not boding well at all.  “Not interested in what you think,” he growled, his focus clearly on Kaidan.  

Given what Gillian had seen of Kaidan’s abilities in hand-to-hand combat recently, she wasn’t so concerned about his capabilities against one man.  Hell, if it came right down to it, she’d place her bet on Kaidan without second thought, and that wasn’t even taking the biotics into consideration.  What had her concerned here were the two extras at Nichols’ side.  While not nearly as large as Nichols, they still had a wiry strength about them, plain as day, and teamed up with their pal it could prove to be an issue.  “Nichols,” Gillian hissed, her voice heavy with warning, “back off.  Now.  You don’t want to do this.”

But the man was apparently beyond reasoning with, pushing his way past her - literally.  Caught off balance, Gillian stumbled to her right, coming to a halt only when another pair of strong hands wrapped tightly around her upper arm.  At first, she didn’t pay it any mind, her focus caught up on Nichols and Kaidan.  For his part, Kaidan was doing an admirable job of staying out of range.  Gillian also noted with mental applause that he was leading his opponent further into the center of the dance floor, away from anyone else in the room.  

As Gillian had feared, though, Nichols took the first swing.  He missed, but not by much.  Kaidan certainly had higher marks in agility.  A second swing made some contact with the lieutenant’s shoulder, though, and Gillian saw him stumble.  Gasping, she took a step towards him but could not move far.  The hand on her arm tightened almost painfully.  “Let me go,” she hissed in irritation.  

“Not just yet, sweetheart.”

“‘Sweetheart?’” Gillian countered, anger rippling through her at the use of the term.  She glanced up at him.  Oh, she recognized this one, too.  Lawlor.  A quick side glance had his companion identified as well.  Edwards.  

“Yeah,” Lawlor replied, hand tightening once again and pulling her closer to him.  “You have a problem with that?”

Gillian could feel Edwards coming up behind her as she stared up at Lawlor.  Dammit, where was Williams?  She didn’t need to be blindsided by the second man while she was handling the first.  She took a breath to respond to the lout holding her when she caught a slight movement out of the corner of her eye.  Apparently, Lawlor noticed too because Gillian could feel his hand loosening just a fraction, and that was when she chose to make her move.  Turning sharply, she threw her left elbow backwards, sharp and solid into Lawlor’s chest before grasping him by the arm that had hold of her, bending over quickly and using his own weight against him until he flew over her shoulder and landed hard on his back.  

Spinning back around, Gillian prepared herself to deal with Edwards … only to find a different man standing before her, a rather sheepish look on his face as he shook out his right hand.  “He’s got a jaw like granite,” he muttered.

It took a moment for Gillian to place him, but she offered him a smile of gratitude.  “Thanks … Jenkins?”

He nodded, eyes widening just a bit.  “Yes.  How did you … wait.  You look familiar ….”

Gillian winced.  It happened upon occasion, someone recognizing her from old news stories about Akuze or the like.  But it had been some time since her picture had been in the paper.  “I’m not sure I -”

Anderson’s voice calling for attention rang out throughout the room well above the groans and complaints of those who had been taking down.  Gillian sighed and started across the room.  Proper introductions would have to wait until later.

“Commander Shepard.”

Gillian froze as Admiral Hackett identified her to the entire room.   _Then again …._  Barely raised above normal, the authority in his tone left no argument who was in charge at that moment.  Not that it hadn’t been expected, really.  Gillian realized she should have listened to her gut instinct earlier upon seeing him enter with Anderson and Chakwas (who was currently standing over by Kaidan and speaking softly with him while poking at his back.  The lieutenant’s wince implied that the doctor was assessing damage) and refused Williams’ plan.  Turning slowly, she lifted an arm and saluted the man as she came to attention.  “Admiral.”

There was a long moment as she stood there, waiting, that he glanced slowly around the room.  When satisfied, he turned back to face her and saluted.  “I see you have things well under control, commander.  Carry on.”  Without another word, he turned and exited the building.  Anderson followed, but the quick wink he favored Gillian with was reassuring.  Perhaps things hadn’t gone so badly as she’d feared?

With the adrenaline now fading as events wound down, Gillian finally managed to survey the room and the damage wrought.  All things considered, the only ‘real’ damage were the three soldiers still seated, stunned, on the floor.  Gillian could hear Ash giving instructions and glanced over to see she was recruiting her targets - Andrews and Smythe - as well as Jenkins to aid in getting the other three out of the establishment.  Nodding her approval at the chief, Gillian turned towards Kaidan and the doctor and made her way to that side of the room.  “Doctor,” Gillian greeted the woman.  “What’s the damage?”

“Nothing too serious,” Chakwas informed her.  “All in all, I’d say you let them off easy this time, Shepard.”

The snort of laughter from behind her, Gillian realized, could only be Williams.  “‘This time?’” Ashley echoed.  “And here you had me thinking you never pulled this sort of thing.”

“Missions are missions,” Gillian countered.  “Doesn’t matter if they’re here or somewhere out there.”  Glancing over at Kaidan, she asked, “How are you doing there, Lieutenant?”

He rolled his shoulder as Chakwas replied, “Just some bumps and bruises.  Nothing that won’t heal up quickly.”  Patting his shoulder to indicate she was finished, she looked over at Gillian.  “And now, if you’ll excuse me, I believe I should report in.”

“Don’t suppose we’ll be getting another drink out of this, will we?” Ashley asked off-handedly as she moved up closer.  The room was now basically empty, save for the work staff.

Gillian chuckled.  “Not on _my_ tab you won’t, Chief.  As a matter of fact,” she winked over at Kaidan, “the way I see it, you owe _us_ after your role in events this evening.”

“Hey,” Ashley protested, “I was distracting them.  Keeping them out of the fight!”

Kaidan rolled his shoulder again, stretching his arm out in the process.  “Actually, I think the commander is right,” he announced after a moment.  “And while you’re getting us those drinks, she and I have some unfinished business.”

Ashley rolled her eyes, but turned towards the bar, muttering something beneath her breath that neither of them caught.  Looking up at Kaidan, Gillian asked, “Unfinished business?”

He grinned almost shyly at her now.  “Well, we did have that last dance we never were able to finish.”  He offered her his hand, waiting patiently for her response.

Gillian felt a smile pull at her lips as she took it.  “Alright, lieutenant,” she agreed as he led her back over to the dance floor.  “I think we can manage that.”   

 


End file.
